The Cure
by saraneedsahobby
Summary: Denae Walters was suddenly thrown into a world she once regarded as fantasy. She escapes to Forks to get away from the danger surrounding her but finds quite the opposite, especially after meeting Jacob Black. Jacob/OC...w/the Pack, B/E & the Cullens.
1. Everything's Magic Prologue

A/N: Well, this is my first ever fanfiction. I am such a Jacob fan, and I couldn't get this story out of my head, so I decided to give it a try and see how it went. I have the next few chapters written, and the rest of the story outlined, I'm just going to see how it goes with the prologue. The prologue is written in JPOV, but the rest will be in the POV of my OC. I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to review! i don't have a beta, if you are interested let me know, so I apologize for any mistakes. I've also taken a bit of a creative license with the timeline as you'll find out, along with some other details. Of course, I own nothing. Stephanie Meyer does! Thanks for reading!

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**THE CURE**

**Prologue-Jacob POV**

**Everything's Magic - Angels & Airwaves**

"Good morning Jacob Black," Mrs. Wilson called to me as she did every morning on her daily walk.

I smiled and waved.

"Hello, Mrs. Wilson," I opened the door to my VW Rabbit and climbed in. Mrs. Wilson had been the only other person who lived on the end of the dead-end dirt road that where I currently resided until recently. I liked her, she didn't try to be neighborly or nosy, and she was sweet.

I had moved from the reservation in La Push to Forks, Washington to housesit for a friend of my father, Billy. The friend was out of town for about 6 months, and offered to pay me to me to watch the house for him. I had immediately accepted for one reason alone: I'd be closer to Bella.

Bella Swan was the reason I did everything. I put up with her obnoxious bloodsucker boyfriend Edward, spent all my free time patrolling, making sure she was safe, and waiting for her to call because she wanted to see me.

Being a werewolf made the keeping her safe thing easier, but the putting up with the bloodsucker thing harder. Yes, this human girl somehow had a vampire boyfriend and a werewolf…me. I'm not sure what Bella and I were, she called us best friends, but I certainly felt more. I mean, I protected her, cheered her up, and was her support when that leech had left her alone and unprotected.

I saved her when she jumped off of a cliff to get an adrenaline rush so she could hallucinate and see Cullen. I saved her while the crazy red-haired vamp, Victoria, stalked her and tried to kill her. James, Bella had told me, was Victoria's mate. When Cullen and Bella first started seeing each other, James had found Bella and wanted to kill her, but Cullen killed him first. So, the crazy vamp was out for revenge. It was just one more reason to hate vampires.

And now, here I was, moving into a random house by myself for a few months, even though I was barely seventeen, just to get a glimpse of Bella on the rare occasion Cullen let her out of his sight. All just so I could put on a cheery face to disguise how much she hurt me. I don't know why I did it, probably because I hated to see the guilt and sadness that filled her eyes if I ever hinted at how I felt.

When I didn't have to patrol with the pack, I spent my time hanging around Forks, hoping to see Bella, and reminding Cullen that he better not turn her into a vamp, or he'd be sorry. My pack, from theQuileute reservation in La Push, Washington had a treaty with Cullen and his coven. They said they were vegetarians and only drank animal blood. They had been here when my ancestors were the protectors, and came back because they like Forks. What vampire wouldn't? It was the rainiest place in the US, and they could walk outside on most days without the sun showing turning their skin all glittery. The old pack and the Cullens made a treaty. They couldn't come into La Push, or bite a human while they were here, and we wouldn't rip them to shreds.

But, Bella wanted so badly to be a vampire like her stupid boyfriend. She hated that she was getting older and he'd always be 17. She hated that she was so breakable and he not only had to protect her, but had to be incredibly cautious with her. Yet, she couldn't see she wouldn't have to worry about any of that with me. Sure, I was immortal as well, but only for as long as I continued to phase. If I stopped phasing, we could grow old together. And sure, I could be kind of dangerous with the phasing when I got mad, but I had a lot of self control compared to most of the pack, and I knew better than to lose control. I was what she needed, yet she chose Cullen. She made that very clear when she punched me in the face, after I tried to show her how much she meant to me and kissed her.

So, I threw myself an ongoing pity party and sulked. I was so depressed, the pack constantly complained about my depressed thoughts when I phased. My friends, who were also my pack brothers, complained that they never saw me anymore. They didn't. I just sat around and moped, I wasn't the "warm" Jacob that Bella had once known (well, besides the intense werewolf body heat, but that's not what she meant). Bella was now engaged, school had just ended, and Cullen was going to marry her anytime now. Once we caught that stupid Victoria, that is.

I honestly went into the small mechanic shop in Forks, worked for a few hours each day, went home, patrolled, and then laid at home thinking about Bella until I fell asleep, waiting for her to call me.

This week had been rough. One of the guys at the shop was gone for the week, his wife just had a baby, and Joe, the owner, asked me to fill in all week for him. I had agreed, hoping to get my mind off of Bella, and was scheduled to work all week. We were also incredibly busy. I was working 12 hour days, going home and patrolling for eight hours, then falling asleep hopefully for a few hours before getting up and doing it all again. It was helping me, but only a little bit. Last night I got a call from Bella, and stayed up the rest of the night thinking about her, so I was running on absolutely no sleep.

After about five or six hours at the shop Joe came up to me. "Head on home, Jacob. You look exhausted."

"I'm fine, Joe" I said probably very unconvincingly, stifling a yawn.

"Son, you just tried to drink some WD40 instead of your soda, go home," Joe laughed "We've got things under control. I appreciate your hard work this week."

I nodded and wiped the grease off of my hands and headed towards the door. "Thanks!" I called out

"See ya Monday, Jacob!" Joe called back.

I smiled tiredly to myself, remembering that it was indeed 4pm on Saturday and I had tomorrow off until I had to patrol at 9 that night. In fact, I didn't have to patrol until later tonight, since I had filled in for Embry last week, so I had a few hours to sleep tonight too. I sped home, excited to jump in the shower quickly, then go to bed.

When I pulled into the drive way I saw that the new neighbor was outside. For the longest time it was just Mrs. Wilson and I on the road, but a few days ago, a car had been parked at the house across from mine. I hadn't seen the neighbor, only caught the glimpse of a short girl with black hair, pulled back into a pony tail. Mrs. Wilson said that she was a young woman, named something that started with a D… Debbie or something… and I guess got up at 5 am and ran every morning. I had no interest in meeting or being neighborly towards her even though Mrs. Wilson had said she was 'quite pretty'.

I got out of my car and quickly walked into my house before the neighbor could try to talk to me and headed immediately to the shower. I let the warm water wash over me, and sighed. I washed up quickly, already feeling more relaxed and looking forward to my nap. I got out, dried off quickly, pulled on a pair sweatpants and settled into bed. I had just started to doze off when a scream woke me immediately.

I sat up and groggily looked around when I heard another scream. I ran to the door and looked out. The new neighbor was hanging from the gutter of her house; a ladder lying in the bushes by her feet. I opened the door and rushed across the road.

"I am going to die," I heard her talking to herself as she dangled above the ground. "This is it. Oh my gosh"

"Hey, hey are you okay?" I asked as I reached her.

Apparently I surprised her because she screamed and twisted around. The metal made a loud groaning sound and then came apart from the house a little more from the movement. "Holy…oh my God!" she squeaked.

"S'okay," I said "Just let go, I'll catch you." I stood under her. Honestly, the drop wasn't that far, but her legs were pretty short, so for her it could be dangerous. Not everyone was almost 7 feet tall, I had to remind myself.

"What?" she asked, but stopped moving "Are you crazy? No, just-just get the ladder I'll climb down" she said shakily. I still hadn't seen her face, but her voice was amazing. I could listen to her talk all day long. "Um, hello? Are you still there?" she asked, shaking me from my trance. She squirmed again and the gutter groaned. She let out a little scream.

"Let go" I said simply.

"I-I don't know…" she said. Her hands began to slide.

"Trust me," I meant it as a statement, but it almost sounded like a question.

"You'll catch me," I think she meant it as a question, but it sounded like a statement.

"Yup." I said, waiting. I wanted to add 'either let go or that gutter will make you', but I stayed quiet.

"Ok," she took a deep breath "Here it goes," and she let go.

I caught her easily, and looked down. I can't really remember what I was thinking, but I remember her beautiful blue eyes staring back at me. They were wide with shock, and her mouth was open still from the small scream she had let out on her fall into my arms. I took in her face and it was like I had known her my entire life. My whole world tilted and she became the center of it. I stared at her beautiful tan face, clear blue eyes and dark brown, almost black hair and I couldn't focus on anything else.

I honestly don't know how long I was holding her small frame in my arms, but she fit so perfectly, I never wanted to let go. Her flushed face turned into a smile, and again my whole world was flipped upside down. It was unlike anything I'd ever felt and with that smile on her face brought me back to the moment.

"You caught me," she whispered, her smile growing as she looked at me.

I only could blink at her as the realization began to creep in and settle over me like fog. I had just imprinted on her.

In retrospect, my response wasn't exactly what I would have liked it to be. "Uhhh…" was all that could come from my mouth. As the rest of the world seemed to come back into focus and I realized that I was still holding her, and staring at her like a freak. So, rather than trying to cover it up, I sat her down on her feet.

"Uhh…" was all I said, again and ran towards the trees. This couldn't be right. I couldn't have just imprinted, no way. But the denial didn't last long.

I fell for Denae Walters the moment she fell into my arms.


	2. Chapter 1: Monsters

A/N: Well...here's an update. I hope you enjoy it. I am so thankful for everyone who read/reviewed/put me on alert. You guys are totally motivating and I appreciate it so much! This is giving a little bit of background on Denae, so you can get to know her better. I hope you enjoy it! Oh, and just a heads up, The title of each chapter is the name of the song that I felt kind of fits it/inspired it. They are all great songs so give them a listen if you'd like! I don't own anything...SM does!

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**THE CURE**

**_Chapter 1-Denae POV_**

**_Monsters (Matchbook Romance)_**

Before I opened my eyes I knew I was in a hospital. The lights were bright behind my eyelids. I felt the pinch of the IV in my arm underneath the scratchy hospital sheet. However, the thing that really gave it away was the sound. I had been in the hospital as a guest enough to easily recognize the beeps and hums of the machines, the echoes of voices down the hall mixed with various television shows from other rooms and the sound of someone snoring in the chair by my bed; a chair probably in front of a window with a fake plant in it. I took a deep breath. It smelt like a hospital too. I realized all this before I opened my eyes.

And all I wanted was to just go back to sleep.

When the blackness I had been in for who knows how long finally started to fade back to light and I began regaining consciousness, I didn't have one of those 'oh my gosh where am I what happened' panic attacks. I knew exactly what had happened. What I didn't know is how I was still alive; or if I even wanted to be alive.

I remembered everything about the situation that put me in this uncomfortable bed and probably hideous hospital gown. I remember everything except for just before I fell. I remember the confusion that turned to terror that turned to the worst pain I had ever been in. And, I had been in a lot of pain before. I remember the bright red eyes and ice cold touch of my attacker. I remember the desperation I felt as the painful burn coursed through my limbs. I remember hell.

I didn't want to open my eyes and deal with the consequences right now, so I kept them shut, but not too tight, and kept my breathing controlled to appear as if I was still asleep. I let my mind wander to the circumstances that had led me to this hospital bed. I went back in time, to before I somehow tumbled into a fantasy world of supernatural creatures with deadly intentions. And, in my mind, I was back to a happier time, standing in my living room.

**_Six months ago_**

"I graduated early for a reason, Chase. The second job is not too much I've been doing it for a couple months now." I took a deep breath and turned to where my older brother stood with his arms crossed.

"And you look exhausted," he raised an eyebrow.

"I am! I worked a double today!" I threw my hands in the air, "But that's just today. I can totally handle it."

He shook his head. "Fine, whatever, we'll discuss it again closer to when you start classes in the fall. Next item on the agenda… that creep, Grant."

I let out a frustrated groan and fell back onto the couch. "Are you seriously going to go all protective big brother on me?"

"I've always been the protective big brother," he replied smoothly. "Stay away from him, Denae."

I put my head in my hands, mostly to try to hide the blush that was creeping onto my face. Chase was referring to Grant Remmington. Grant was a gorgeous twenty-seven year old law school drop-out and what my friend Jessilyn called 'a tall drink of water'. He was a regular at the diner that I worked at, and for the past month and a half he had flirted and asked me out non-stop, even though he was nine years older that I was. I would smile and talk back, but I tried to keep from flirting and never accepted his requests for a date.

"I'm not gonna date the guy, geeze." My voice was muffled from my hands still. Just because I didn't accept his offer didn't mean I didn't want to. He was a nice, attractive, older guy. I couldn't help it.

"I know, but I also know how you are," Chase sat down next to me on the couch.

I looked up from my hands and narrowed my eyes "What is that supposed to mean?"

He smiled at me "It means that you are nice. People are drawn to you, you're…I don't know, charismatic. You connect with people, and that makes them like you." He leaned back "And Grant likes you too much. Dee, if you don't make him back off.. I will."

I let out another groan. Chase was about six foot two inches and wasn't huge, but he could be intimidating, especially considering Grant was about four inches shorter. Chase really wasn't a tough guy, but he could pretend to be if that's what he wanted you to think. That's why he made such a fantastic actor, my mom, who was a theater professor at the University of North Texas in Denton, had taught him well. Chase could disguise himself as whoever he wanted to be and you'd totally buy it. Usually, though, he was a goof ball.

Our mother had passed away after a long fight against cancer two years earlier, when I was sixteen and Chase was twenty-one. Ever since then Chase had taken care of me. Our father died in a car accident while mom was still pregnant with me, so it was just the two of us now. I had graduated early from high school so I could work more and help pay the bills. Chase had dropped out of college at UNT to be able to support us, but when I started working, he was able to go back. I knew how much he loved it, so I didn't mind. But it bothered him that I worked so much. We were very close and understood each other because we had been through so much together.

"You are so embarrassing,"

"That's what I like to hear! Now, I'm going up to school to run lines with some people from class I'll be back in a few hours." He gave me a hug. "I love you, Dee."

"Love you too, Chase." I hugged him back.

That was the last day I ever saw my brother, he was in a car accident on the way home from running lines that night. He had run off the road on a bridge and it was a month before they could even locate his body, and even when they did, they had a hard time even identifying it as him.

My life fell to pieces the day Chase died. He was what kept my normally happy, bubbly, outgoing self happy when I was down. He looked out for me and offered me advice. I stopped feeling almost anything after that day.

**_Four months ago_**

"Darling, don't you worry, I can take care of everything. It really would just be in your very best interest to move in with me. You're struggling." Grant's tone was patronizing and it bothered me. Everything about him bothered me: his crooked nose, his blonde hair that always had too much gel in it, his brown eyes that were always judging you.

"I know, but I don't think I'm ready to move in with you, we haven't been dating for very long at all." I sighed and reached for his plate. We were at the diner, I was working and he was eating.

I finally gave into and began dating Grant a month earlier because I honestly didn't have it in me to say no anymore, it took too much effort. I had been struggling with paying for the apartment, bills, and everything else since Chase had died, and I wasn't able to get any money unlocked until I was twenty one. I was stressed and exhausted, and just didn't have the energy to fight.

"You can't measure the relationship based on time. We know how we feel about each other. Let me take care of it." He patted my hand. He made me feel like a child. I had an independent streak in me, and it absolutely despised the way Grant treated me, but I was too depressed to care.

"Grant, I don't know…"

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

"Of course," I replied without thinking.

"Okay, then it's settled. I've already spoken with your apartment supervisor, she's fine with breeching the contract under the circumstances. You can be moved in with in a week and quit your jobs immediately." He stood up.

"Woah, what?"

"I told you, I can take care of it." He kissed my forehead.

"I'm not quitting Doc's," I said quietly. "Doc needs me there." Roger Thompson was a friend of the family that I worked for, and I took care of all the things he didn't have time for at the veterinary clinic he ran. His wife Martha was a wonderful woman and they both had helped me out a lot in the past.

He sighed. "I guess that's okay for now," he crossed his arms. "And, I know you're not ready for the more physical part of the relationship…"

"No, I'm not." I said firmly. I gathered up the dishes on the next table, and avoided his eyes.

"That's fine. You'll get there eventually; I just wanted to let you know that I was ready…"

"Not now, Grant." I said and moved towards the kitchen. "I'll see you when I get off."

"Alright, see ya babe." He said in his annoying twang. I may live in Texas, but I didn't have much a southern accent but usually I could tolerate them. Grant's, however, irritated me. He walked out the door after giving quick goodbyes to the rest of the staff, who didn't approve of our relationship. I wondered how I ever found that man attractive.

As I walked back to the sink, I felt defeated. I didn't really have a choice. I was probably going to be evicted soon anyway. In between funeral costs, old medical bills of my mothers, rent, gas, and food I was always broke. I convinced myself that I'd only stay with Grant until I could get back on my feet and then I'd break up with him.

After work, I went over to Jessilyn's house and visited her daughter, Faith who was two. Jessilyn was a year older than me and Faith when she was 17 with a guy that refused to have anything to do with her or his daughter. As of now Jess, Doc, and Martha were the only people in my life I could really count on. I didn't even feel that way about Grant.

When I got to my apartment later that night, Grant was there.

"What the hell took you so long to get here?" he asked; his voice eerily calm.

"Nothing, I went over to Jessilyn's for a bit," I threw my keys on the table. "What are you doing here?"

"Packing your shit," he spat out as if he was disgusted.

"Oh," was all I replied with. I didn't see what the big deal was, I didn't have to tell him where I was every second of the day, and we hadn't planned on a time to meet.

Apparently that's all it took. "You need to tell me this stuff, Denae! How do I know you weren't with another guy?" His face started to turn red as he yelled.

"What?" I asked, shocked that he would even suggest that. "Grant, honestly, that is just absurd."

Before I could know what happened, his hands were around my throat. "Next time you will tell me." He let go of me and I started gasping and coughing for air. I was stunned; I never had seen this side of him before. He had always been overly affectionate and sweet.

"What the hell…" I said as I was able to breathe again.

He leaned down. "I'm sorry Denae, I just-I just don't want anything to happen to us." I moved away from his touch.

"Get out," I yelled at him. "Get out and don't ever come near me again."

"You're making it very hard for me to stay calm, Denae."

"I don't care. Leave right now or I will call the police." I wasn't going to stand for this and I wouldn't allow him to treat me like that, no matter how much I needed him financially.

"If you call the police or tell anyone I will kill you. If you run and I can't find you myself, I have enough connections that I will have them hunt you down, bring you to me and then I will kill you." He gripped my arms so hard that I knew they would bruise. "So don't even try it. I'll make it look like an accident, and no one will ever know."

That began a vicious cycle of him hurting me, and then apologizing, and then me being too scared to leave. I had honestly just given up and assumed this is what my life would be like. Everything had crumbled down around me and if felt like the moment I started picking it up, it all fell again. I decided just to lay in the rubble that used to constitute my happy life and drown in my despair. My usual 'spunk' and optimism had disappeared and I barely recognized the person I had become.

One day ago

"You're all ready?" Martha asked me quietly.

"Yeah, I think so," I said. "What if…what if he finds out? He has a lot of connections, Martha." I shuddered, thinking of all the creepy, cold, pale people who Grant did business with.

"We'll deal with it. We've got connections too," she took her hand in mine and sighed softly. "Thank you for finally being honest with me."

My eyes began to fill with tears, and I just bit my lip and looked down. The past four months with Grant had gotten so bad that I couldn't cover the bruises with makeup and Martha had noticed. She immediately knew that Grant had been abusing me, and made arrangements for me to go live with her sister somewhere in Kentucky while her and Doc took care of Grant legally. I was supposed to leave that night.

"I just need to do one more thing," I said, standing up with determination. The escape plan had sparked a tiny bit of my old self, and I was feeling a small glimmer of hope. "I need to say goodbye."

Martha nodded, probably already knowing where I was headed. "Be careful, we'll see you in a couple hours."

Grant knew nothing of this plan, he thought I was working late, and lately he hadn't really paid much attention to me. One of his connections, Victoria, had been frequently visiting and he seemed very preoccupied by whatever project she had him working on. I assumed he was sleeping with her because they were so secretive, but I didn't really know. I was just glad he didn't try to do anything like that with me. Last night I had over heard him talking about him being in danger because they found out, and he wasn't supposed to know. Apparently whoever was putting Grant in danger was visiting him the next evening, which was perfect timing for my escape.

I arrived at the cemetery and walked the path I traveled often to where my mother and brother were buried. I kneeled in the grass and just cried. I crossed my arms and looked down at the bruises that were scattered on them and wondered how my life had come to this. I was a strong, independent person, but now I was afraid of every shadow. I stayed until after the sun had set, just thinking. I finally stood up and turned around and froze when I saw someone standing close behind me.

"Most humans are afraid to be in a cemetery after dark." The voice sent a shudder through me. "You never know what monsters might be lurking around."

"Uh, I was just leaving," I turned to walk off.

The woman grabbed my arm. "No, you weren't."

I looked up and couldn't help the little gasp I gave. It was Victoria, the woman who had been working with Grant. "Wait, why are you…"

"Grant wanted me to get rid of you. Kill you. You were going to try to escape today apparently…" She tossed her long, red hair and smiled. "And, I was just fine with that. I didn't have any issues killing your brother so Grant could to get to you…"

"What?" I tried to pull my arm out of her grasp, but her grip was literally like stone.

"The car accident your brother was in was just a cover up. It was very easy for me to kill him as a favor for Grant. He didn't like how protective your brother was." She laughed and the noise made my anger flare. This woman killed my brother and was laughing about it. I moved my hand to hit her, but she caught my other arm before I had it half way up. "Oh, you'll learn soon how stupid that was to even try. You see, I'm not weak and human like you. I'm a vampire."

"What?" I said again, thinking my confusion and anger were causing me to misunderstand her.

She dropped my arms and I turned quickly to run away. I was short at 5'1'', but I played sports throughout school and there was a good chance I could out run her. In a blur she was in front of me. "I am a vampire, stupid girl. I can run faster, hit harder, see better, smell better, think quicker than you can even imagine." She ran around me before I could even blink to demonstrate her point. "Red eyes should have been a dead give away... But enough of this, Grant wanted me to kill you, but the Volturi are paying him a visit right about now, and honestly, he's probably dead. You see humans aren't supposed to know about us, and Grant knows a lot about us.

"He actually gave me this brilliant idea. You see, there is this human girl protected by a coven of vampires. The killed the only man I loved, for an insignificant human, and so I'm going to kill her. But, they are very talented. So, I'm creating a bit of an army, and you've just been drafted."

I took a step back. "You're crazy. This is impossible."

Victoria let out a growl that sounded animalistic. Everything about her reminded me of a predator; her stance, her eyes, her movements. I had such a hard time believing what she was saying was true, but I didn't know how to explain her appearance, speed, or the instinctual terror that was building in me each second.

"Don't interrupt. I want to get this all out now, before it becomes difficult to control you. I'm building an army of newborn vampires because they are stronger, faster, and more vicious than older vampires. Now, this coven that is protecting the human has some talent amongst them. They have one who can read minds, one who can see the future, and one of the largest vampires I have ever seen. They also have one who can feel and manipulate others emotions. Grant informed me that he actually used to train newborn armies back during the 1800s. Before he was a vampire, though, his personality was very similar to yours, very good with people, which is why you are so important. I'm hoping when I turn you, you'll develop a similar talent and can use it to train my army."

"No, this is a dream. I'll wake up…"

Victoria let out a snarl. "This is not a dream!"

**_Present_**

This is where my memory began to blur. I remember her talking some more, but I couldn't recall what she said, no matter how much I tried. But then she got upset again and pushed me with such force that I literally flew through the air and landed on the ground. My arm started bleeding and within about three seconds Victoria disappeared from in front of me, and another woman, with short blonde hair and eyes even brighter red than Victoria was in front of me. After that I remember pain in my shoulder and I knew that she had bit me, but in an instant her weight was off of me. I heard voices around me, speaking almost too quickly to understand but I could make out parts of it: 'humans coming' and 'just leave her, we'll come back,' and 'control the newborn'.

While the pain coursed through my body, I remember my face and the area I had been bitten on the shoulder suddenly feeling very cold, especially compared to the burn and pain throughout my body. But I didn't seem to focus on that because the same words were being repeated in my head over and over again so often I figured it was probably God talking to me, and I decided to listen. "Go to Forks. Safety. Love." The voice in my head repeated over and over.

I sighed and finally opened my eyes when the memories became too much to bear. I looked over to see Doc asleep in the plastic chair by my bed.

"Denae! You're awake!" I heard Martha's voice call from the other side of the room.

I just blinked in response.

Doc was hovering over me now. "God, Denae," was all he said before he hugged me. The doctor came in then and I was brought up to speed with my injuries which, besides the cut on my arm, the bruises and the "wound" on my shoulder, weren't too bad.

When the doctor left, Martha turned towards me. "They can't find Grant. His place was burned to the ground, though. I'm guessing he ran away after he attacked you."

"Oh," It dawned on me that they assumed Grand did this to me. It also occurred to me that if I told them I was attacked by a vampire, and Grant was killed by another group of vampires, they would probably think I finally went insane, and lock me up. No one would believe me, so I wouldn't tell anyone. Plus I remembered Victoria saying humans weren't supposed to know about vampires. I decided not to offer any information and hope that they wouldn't question me.

"I don't think it's wise for you to go to Kentucky, or to stay here." Doc said. "So, what do you want to do?"

"Go to Forks." I said instantly, surprising myself slightly. Go to Forks. Safety. Love. I couldn't get those words out of my head, and I knew that was where I was supposed to go.

Doc looked at me. "Forks? As in, Washington?"

I shrugged. I didn't know what state it was in; I just knew I needed to go there.

Martha gave her husband a puzzled look "How did you know it was in Washington?"

This time it was Doc's turn to shrug "Saw something on the discovery channel. It's the rainiest place in the US."

I spoke up. "Uh, yeah that's where I heard it too. I figured it was far away and random enough that he couldn't find me…"

Martha and Doc exchanged glances and Martha shook her head, "Okay… I guess you're going to Forks."


	3. Chapter 2: Misguided Ghosts

A/N: Here's another chapter for my terrific readers! I want to once again thank all the reviewers/people who put me on alert. It makes my day when I get an e-mail about this story! :) You guys are AWESOME! Things should start picking up here in the story after this chapter! I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think! PS I don't own anything Stephanie Meyer does!

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**THE CURE**

**_Chapter 2 DPOV_**

**_Misguided Ghosts (Paramore)_**

Forks sucked. When Doc said it was the rainiest place in the US I figured maybe they had a lot of rain showers, and then like normal places it would clear up. I was wrong. It rained, drizzled, misted, whatever you want to call it, constantly. It was always cloudy and damp. It was so unlike the hot sun and bright blue skies in Denton that it made me even more homesick than I already was.

I drove up to Forks, followed by Doc in a U-Haul, the day after I got out of the hospital. Doc had used one of his 'famous' connections to find a small one bedroom house in Forks that was for sale. The money from my brother and mother's death had finally been unlocked and that combined with the money I got from selling some of my stuff was enough to buy the house, even though I think Doc and Martha had helped me out. I made a vow to pay them back as soon as I got the chance. At the time, however, I wanted out of Denton as fast as possible.

The investigators, Doc, and Martha had insisted that I take up a name change, but I refused. I couldn't tell them that Grant was dead without telling the whole truth or making up an extravagant lie, but since he had disappeared without a trace and so quickly, they reluctantly agreed that it wasn't very likely that he'd come after me and finally said I could keep my name. Doc put all the documents that had to do with my move in his name though, just in case. It did make me feel a little bit better, just in case Victoria came after me again. However, despite not knowing much about vampires abilities, I had the feeling that if she wanted to find me, changing my name wouldn't stop her.

When we arrived in Forks and got to the house, I was pleasantly surprised at the decent condition of the house. There were a few small things that needed done: nailing in some loose boards, cleaning out the gutter, cleaning the inside. However, for the most part the tiny house was in good shape. Doc flew back to Texas the same night we arrived and when I got back I tried to work on things to stay busy and keep my mind off how lonely I was. It was 3am and I had cleaned the entire house and for an hour I had been trying to put together my bed frame, but couldn't get it together.

I started crying when I couldn't figure it out. I lay on my bed, which was just my mattress on the floor, and cried uncontrollably. I cried for my mom, I cried for my brother I cried because I missed Doc, Martha, Jessilyn and Faith, and I cried about the stupid scar on my shoulder that was ice cold to the touch and reminded me by the thing that now terrified me the most. Vampires.

The rest of my week continued in a pretty similar fashion. I tried to keep myself busy and keep my mind off of everything, but I always ended up crying myself to sleep. I was just going through the motions. I hadn't been in Forks for a whole week, but everything just fell into such a pattern. I felt like a ghost floating along with no path. I had no goals, no ambitions, and no motivation. I was just…there.

I had gotten a job at the Forks Bar and Grill in about ten minutes. I made sure to pretend that I was the bubbly, cheerful person I was six months ago, but I didn't really need to. Apparently a couple of waitresses had quit the week before and they were very understaffed so I started that night. I was glad to be working because it kept me busy and wore me out so I didn't cry for as long at night when I tried to sleep.

I had a day off on Saturday, and luckily, it was uncharacteristically sunny outside. Later that afternoon, around 4 or, so I decided to clean out my gutter. I was about to climb up when I heard my phone ring. I happened to notice when I ran inside that the neighbor from across the road was pulling into his drive way and I felt very relieved that I didn't have to be outside and risk him coming over to introduce himself. I had only caught a glimpse of a very tall guy with dark hair, but I wasn't really interested in being neighborly with him, even though the older lady, Mrs. Wilson, from down the road (who wasn't nosy and I actually liked) had told me he was 'quite handsome'.

It was Martha on the phone, and we spoke for a little while. After she informed me they hadn't found a trace of Grant and that everyone missed me, I went back outside and climbed the not-so-stable-looking ladder. I went along, removing dead leaves and other gross stuff from the gutter when I turned my head and noticed a huge spider right next to my hand. I love all animals, but I am not a fan of spiders.

Naturally, I freaked out and instantly began screaming. Somehow in my panic, I lost my balance and started to fall backward. I grabbed onto the gutter to regain my balance but the motion caused the ladder to move and fall. I screamed again as I felt my feet slip from the rung of the ladder and hang in the air. I started to squirm and the gutter started to come undone from the house.

All that ran through my mind was… I somehow survived an attack from a vampire and I'm going to die trying to clean my gutters?

"I am going to die." I said out loud, still in disbelief that after everything, I was going to die. "Oh my gosh."

"Hey, hey are you okay?" a voice said from somewhere behind me. Apparently I had been so preoccupied with dying that I hadn't heard anyone walk up. I was a little on edge so the voice scared me and I screamed a little again and tried to twist around to see who was there.

That was a bad idea, the gutter made a loud noise and then started to separate even more from the house. "Holy…oh my God!" I blurted out.

"S'okay. I'll catch you." The voice said again.

"What?" I asked. I hadn't seen the person, or heard them walk up, and so I really hoped I wasn't just hearing the voice in my head. Voices in my head were what got me to Forks in the first place. "Are you crazy?" Even if this person was real, I didn't know how they planned on catching me. "No, no just get the ladder. I'll climb down." There was a pause and he didn't respond, but I also didn't hear him move to get the ladder, either. "Um, hello? Are you still there?" I asked, kind of afraid that the voice had been in my head.

I tried to turn again, but the gutter made another warning sound and I couldn't help but scream a little.

"Let go."

"I-I don't know..." I said. I really didn't think this person, whoever he was, could catch me, not from this angle.

Then, my hands began to slide.

"Trust me?" It sounded like a question, but I could tell he was confident in his ability to catch me.

"You'll catch me," I meant to ask it, but some of his certainty was being transferred to me. Even though the last time I told someone I trusted them it was Grant and I ended up in a terrible situation, I found myself trusting this man.

"Yup," he took a breath like he wanted to add something but didn't.

"Ok," I finally said. My hands were slipping and beginning to ache from gripping so tightly. I took a deep breath. "Here it goes."

I let my hands slide and I couldn't help but scream a little as I free fell for half a second, but before I knew it was being held in two very warm arms. My eyes were wide which shock and my mouth was hanging open not only from the scream but from awe of the sight in front of me. I took in the most beautiful deep brown eyes that I have ever seen in my life. As they stared into my own I continued my gaze over his smooth, flawless, tan face. His black hair was messy and kind of shaggy, but adorable. He was staring back at me with a confused look on his face and then as my eyes wandered down I realized he was huge. He had the biggest muscles I had ever witnessed close-up and his shirt was off. I honestly don't know how long I stared at him.

The blush creeping along my face paired with a smile that I couldn't help snapped me back to reality. I must have fallen, died, and went to a heaven where I could have my fill of tall, dark, and handsome.

"You caught me," I whispered.

"Uhh…" he said. He set me down on the ground. His face totally explained how he felt. He looked very scared and I knew it was because I had been staring at him like a freak. I racked my brain trying to figure out what to say, but strangely I couldn't form the words. I usually had no problem talking, but I suddenly I was unable to speak. So, I stayed silent and probably just continued to freak him out.

"Uh…" was all he said again, and then he turned around and ran off towards the trees. I was mortified. I had just acted like a total idiot, and sent whoever that was running to the woods. I sighed and picked up the ladder after his form had disappeared into the tree line.

I put everything up and headed inside. I wasn't getting back up on the ladder that evening; that was for sure. I started to wonder if the whole good-looking guy catching me thing had happened. He disappeared so quickly that I kind of thought maybe I had fallen to the ground and hit my head.

I decided to take a shower and I noticed that I had a big bruise on my leg from where the ladder had hit it on the way down. I also noticed that all of my other bruises left over from Grant had finally faded away. That fact empowered me and for the first time in a long time I felt happy.

* * *

I had gotten into the habit of getting up at 5am, bundling up into my warmest clothes and going for a run. I played volleyball in high school, but I wasn't a crazy health nut who would run miles like some people. Back in Denton, I would have never done this. However, I went to bed really late and woke up really early and I was constantly trying to find things to do to keep my mind preoccupied. I knew if I just sat there with nothing to do, I'd end up getting depressed and probably just stay inside my house all day, and even though I honestly considered it, I knew I just needed to get out of bed and get moving each day. So I ran.

The night of the gutter incident I kept tossing and turning because of my dreams. I'd been having reoccurring nightmares almost every night. It was basically the same scene from the cemetery over and over again and I usually woke up crying and sweating. This time it was the same scene, but when Victoria pushed me and I went flying through the air, I didn't land on the ground. I landed in the arms of the man who caught me yesterday. I woke up right after that and for the first time I wasn't crying.

I shook my head and forced myself out of bed and went to find some clothes to run in. It was almost 7 am, about two hours later than I normally slept until, and I was surprised. I felt more rested than I had in a while, and this usually didn't happen. When I was in Denton I would sleep in until noon sometimes and I was known for my love of naps. The getting up early and going to bed late habit I had fallen into in Forks wouldn't have happened back when my life was normal.

I threw on my tennis shoes and a jacket and piled my hair up high on the top of my head. I'm sure it was a mess, but I didn't really care. I brushed my teeth and then walked outside. It was warmer now than it usually was so I took of my jacket and set it back inside. I stretched my muscles a little and then took off on the familiar route I had run the past week I had been in Forks. As I ran, I couldn't help but feel like someone was watching me. I even turned around a few times to see if someone was behind me. I just brushed the feeling off and chalked it up to my paranoia. I ran my usual loop, which was about a mile and a half. Like I said, I wasn't a huge crazy health freak that exercised for hours and hours, I just needed something to keep me busy.

When I reached the last stretch back to the house, I noticed my neighbor across the street was outside checking his mail. Before I got very close, I noticed he stopped what he was doing and tensed up. I picked up my pace a little, just because I wanted to get a closer look at him. The man from yesterday kind of reminded me of the glimpses I got of my neighbor, and I wanted to confirm that it was him who I freaked out.

He turned around at the mail box and looked at me. His eyes got wide, and he dropped the mail in his hands. Then, in an instant his eyes narrowed at me and he picked up the mail and jogged inside the house. He was gone before I was close enough to say anything, and I was just going to thank him. I was certain it was him. His shirt was off, and there is no way I could mistake those muscles. Plus, he looked pretty freaked out again, and kind of angry, just like he did yesterday.

This caused a conflict within me. Old Denae said that I should go over there, be friendly and nice, and use that smile no one can resist to tell him thank you and try to start over. New Denae said screw him, who cares, if he hates you good, there is less of a chance he'll talk to you. I went inside and sat down to catch my breath and get some water. I looked out the window, and noticed that he was leaving. I was still having an internal battle when I got out of the shower, so I decided to compromise. I'd make him some cookies and a little note to say thank you and leave it on his front porch. That way Old Denae was happy with the effort and New Denae was happy with the lack of human contact.

I was glad I had spontaneously bought the chocolate chips from the store on my last trip and started to read the instructions on the back. As I mixed the ingredients together, I began to wonder why I thought this was a good idea. I was a terrible cook. I could honestly mess up mac and cheese from the box. I wasn't sure how making cookies that would probably end up inedible would solve anything.

I made sure to pay attention and follow the directions exactly. It took a lot longer than I thought, and I was thankful I had the rest of today off too. After what felt like forever I was finally done and I reminded myself why I hated cooking so much. I kept one batch for myself then piled the rest of the cookies on a plate. I wrote out a note.

_**Hi- I live across the street. I just wanted to say thank you for saving my life.**_

I sighed and threw that paper away. I didn't like how it sounded. I guess there really was no way to say thank you for saving me as I clutched the gutter to my house for dear life yesterday without being awkward. So, I kept it simple.

**_Thanks for helping me out yesterday._**

I looked out the window and saw that the little car he drove was still gone, so I sprinted across the street and left the cookies on his porch. When I got back to my house I found I was kind of nervous. I hoped he wouldn't think I was too weird. Maybe I should have just walked over there and said thank you like a normal person. _Or maybe you shouldn't have done anything_, New Denae reminded me. I rolled my eyes at myself. Terrific, I was now naming the voices in my head.

I grabbed a cookie of the counter and examined it. They had come out a little flat and kind of gooey, but overall they didn't look terrible, and they weren't burnt. I took a big bite of the cookie and spit it out in the trash almost instantly. It tasted horrible. I quickly gulped down a glass of water and stared at the plate of cookies, trying to figure out why they tasted so bad.

I placed my glass in the sink and then looked over and saw two eggs sitting there. I groaned, realizing I had forgotten to put them in the mix, and that was probably the source of the disgusting taste. I threw my plate of cookies away and began to clean up when it dawned on me that the neighbor across the street had about six batches of these disgusting cookies sitting on his front porch, and he already didn't like me. I'm sure one taste and he'd end up really hating me. I really didn't care what people thought of me, but I didn't want my neighbor to hate me.

I paced my kitchen for a minute and then decided that I'd just run back over there and grab the cookies off of his porch. He'd been gone for a while, so I probably would be there and back before I got caught.

I opened my door and ran across the street before I chickened out. I grabbed the plate and started to head back to my house when I realized I left the note attached to the door. I ran back up to his porch and grabbed it. At that same time, I heard a car coming down the dirt road. I froze. It had to be him. I turned around slowly as he pulled into the drive way.

I began to frantically try to come up with an excuse or lie to get out of this but I couldn't. He already thought I was a freak and here I was standing on his porch, pulling a note off of his door with a plate full of disgusting cookies in my hand. I watched as he slowly got out of his car.

We stood there, looking at each other when I decided to finally speak.

I summoned up my most cheerful voice. "Hi there!" It sounded more like a squeak than a cheerful greeting.

This was very bad.


	4. Chapter 3: Here Comes the Sun

A/N: Okay, I couldn't resist...here's another update. I know it's kinda random back-to-back updates, and it probably won't happen often, but I'll get chapters out as fast as I possibly can! I LOVE getting feed back, so please let me know what you think! Thanks again to the readers/reviewers/alerters. You make it even easier to put off homework to write a chapter than it normally is! :) I don't own anything Twilight...or Spiderman. ENJOY

* * *

**THE CURE**

**_Chapter 3_**

**_Here Comes the Sun (The Beatles) _**

His face held an unreadable expression as my neighbor slowly walked up the pathway to the front porch. He was at the bottom of the stairs, but he was so tall that he was nearing eye level with me. "Um, hi." He said and paused for a moment. "Can I help you?"

He looked like he could be twenty five but he sounded more like he was my age, and despite the hard lines and chiseled jaw, his face was youthful, and didn't look quite as hateful as before.

I took a deep breath. He wasn't glaring at me, so that helped. "Um, well. I just wanted to say thank you for uh, you know helping me out yesterday. You know when I was hanging on my gutter…" he just looked at me, his expression unchanging. I started to worry that I had the wrong giant-good-looking-girl-catching guy's house. "That was you, right? That caught me?"

"Yeah," he replied dragging out the word.

"Oh, okay. Well I guess I just wanted to say thank you and so I made you some cookies," I began and motioned to the cookies. "I was just going to leave them on your steps because I thought you weren't home…" I started to get flustered and embarrassed. My face was burning from my blush and my eyes were welling up with tears. This wasn't how I normally acted. I usually didn't get embarrassed and I could handle almost any situation. But, for some reason I couldn't deal with his blank stare. I took a frustrated breath and mumbled "Never mind. Sorry I bothered you." and walked down the stairs quickly before tears fell, brushing past his large frame.

I only got a few steps before his voice stopped me. "Wait! Don't go!"

I stopped, but didn't turn around until I composed myself. I turned around and tried to match his blank expression, but once again I was unable to hide my surprise. His expression had changed and he looked like he was kind of struggling with something. I didn't speak, I just looked at him. He closed the distance between us in one long stride.

"You said you made cookies?" His voice was quiet as he stared at the plate in my hand. He brushed some of his shaggy black hair out of his eyes, and I once again found myself staring into his deep brown eyes.

"Uh, yeah, but they aren't very good…" I said as I felt the embarrassment begin to come back and my determination to not show any emotion falter.

Before I could finish my sentence he reached forward and removed the plastic wrap and grabbed a cookie. My eyes widened "Oh no, I wouldn't do..." he took a big bite "…that." I cringed as his eyes widened and he stopped chewing. "I'm sorry!" I squeaked. "They are gross! I left them here then I went back across the street and I realized that they tasted disgusting because I forgot the egg so I came back to get them before you ate them, but you just ate one and they are so gross!" I babbled without taking a breath. I was once again making a fool of myself in front of this guy. That never happened to me, usually I could just play it cool, but he was totally causing me to lose my composure.

"Um," he said with his mouth full. "They're not gross. It's…" he swallowed hard. "very good." He finished. He looked at me and tried to smile but it looked like a grimace. Then, to my horror, he lifted the cookie to his mouth again and put the rest of it in his mouth. I could tell his was forcing himself to chew and swallow the cookie. "They're…" he swallowed hard again. "delicious."

"Oh my god." I said as he reached for another cookie. "Why on earth are you doing that to yourself? They are disgusting!" I pulled the plate away from his hand.

"No, no don't think that!" he said quickly. "They're great!"

I think my jaw dropped. "Are you crazy?"

He paused before he answered and dropped his hand to his side. "That's the second time you've asked me that," he replied looking down at his feet. Then he looked up at me and gave me a big, warm smile. I think my heart stopped but I can't really remember because I was in shock.

"Well, you're eating toxic cookies willingly," I said once I was able to breathe again. "I think you might be."

"They're not…" he started, but I had finally regained my composure.

"Yes, yes they are." I interrupted him. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to thank you for helping me out yesterday, but please don't eat the cookies. Seriously, I'm worried about your health. How are you even still standing?"

He laughed and the tension began to ease. I found my worried expression ease into a smile and then I joined in laughing with him.

When our laughter faded, I stuck my hand out, still smiling a little. "I'm Denae Walters." I was surprised with how shy I suddenly had become.

He took my hand in his big, huge, warm one and shook it. We both looked down at our hands and I wondered if he felt the tingling too. I must have just been nervous. "Denae… that's pretty." He smiled down at me, and I found myself really beginning to enjoy those smiles. "I'm Jacob Black." He released my hand. "It's really nice to meet you, Denae." He said with pure sincerity.

"It's nice to meet you too, Jacob." I gave him what was probably an incredibly goofy grin. We just looked at each other for a moment.

"Um, sorry about running off yesterday…" he began "I just was running late for something."

I waved my hand to dismiss his concerns. "I'm sorry about…well all of it." My face began to warm again as I remembered staring at his bare chest. "And you're probably busy and I'm over here wasting your time." I began to walk towards my house but he lightly put his hand on my arm and I stopped and turned towards him.

"Not at all," he answered. "Did you ever finish whatever you were doing on that ladder?" he smiled a little.

"Uh, no" I laughed. "I was cleaning out my gutter, but I decided to call it quits after the incident."

"I see. Now, why were you doing that?" he crossed his arms and leaned back. "Why didn't you have your boyfriend do it or something?" He looked down at his feet.

I wrinkled my nose at the b-word. "I don't have a boyfriend," I replied quickly. After Grant I had decided that I wouldn't be dependent on anyone ever again, especially a guy. I was set on just taking care of myself. "It's just me here…" I trailed off. I had thought that over and over again, but this was the first time I said it out loud.

Jacob looked up at me quickly. "Oh,"

I just nodded.

"Where did you move from?"

"Denton, Texas." I said.

"That explains the accent."

My eyebrows shot up. "I don't have an accent!"

"Sure, sure" he replied. "Wow, I bet Forks was quite the adjustment," he changed the subject and smiled again and I found myself smiling and enjoying the small talk, until he asked the question I hadn't really been prepared for. "How did you end up here?"

I hadn't really come up with a lie and I didn't think Jacob would believe me if I told him that a crazy vampire tried to make me part of her newborn army to kill some poor girl back in Denton and so God told me to come to Forks to be safe.

"Uh… just kinda did." I shrugged. "I wanted to get away, so I came here."

"How old are you?" he asked suddenly.

"Um, eighteen." I responded. "I know, kind of young to be on my own…but I'm very independent and capable of taking care of myself." I couldn't help but get a little defensive and I crossed my arms, waiting for him to challenge me. Even though Jacob looked young, he was probably older than I was, and thought I was a stupid kid.

"No, I totally understand. I'm seventeen." He shrugged.

I just blinked in response. That explained the youthful face, but made the rest of his appearance very confusing.

"I don't actually live here, I'm house-sitting for a family friend for a few months," he explained. "I actually live on the Rez over in La Push."

I nodded "Oh, gotcha." I had heard about La Push and the reservation through people at the restaurant.

"Um, did you need help cleaning out the rest of your gutter?" he looked down at his feet again. "I'm not doing anything until later, I'd be glad to help you out real fast."

"Oh, no. I can get it. I don't want you to have to do that." I said quickly, even though part of me wanted to agree because I was still wary of the ladder and spiders and despite my earlier emotional turmoil, I was finding Jacob's company very enjoyable.

"It wouldn't be a big deal at all," he responded just as quick. "I would much rather just do it than have to sit and wait for you to fall off the ladder again." The smirk was back.

I pretended to be hurt "If you must know; there was a spider last time and it startled me…"

"Startled or tried to murder?" he shot back. "That was a pretty loud scream for a little spider…"

"For your information it was a rather large spider and he looked pretty angry."

"Well, maybe I oughta do it just in case he's up there waiting for you." Jacob smirked down at me.

"Honestly, Jacob I really appreciate the offer but I would just feel bad…" I started.

"Too late, I've already decided that I'm going to do it." He shrugged, turned and took off in long strides towards my house.

I reached his side and looked up, amazed at how much taller he was than me. There was at least a foot and a half difference. Apparently Jacob noticed, too. "No wonder you were scared, short stuff. That would have been quite the drop."

"Hey now, you're going to insult my height and arachnophobia, but you'll eat my disgusting cookies?" I teased. Talking with Jacob was easy, and for the first time in a long time I didn't have to force a smile, it just happened.

"They weren't disgusting…" he started again, but I held my hand up to cut him off.

"Uh, uh. Not going there again." I laughed. "I am going to run in real fast and throw these away before you decide to try and eat one again."

He just laughed in response. I ran up the steps to my house and threw the cookies away. I stopped for a minute and saw I had a missed call from Martha on my phone, and decided to call her back later. I was about to head back out when I stopped short. I hadn't gotten the familiar pang of loneliness when I saw that someone from home had called. Being around Jacob had done a complete one-eighty turnaround for my mood, and I was surprised, but I was also scared. I didn't know this guy, and I don't know why I trusted him. Red flags began to shoot up all over the place and my over-active imagination began to run wild.

_Stop. Don't get all paranoid. Jacob is just a normal teenage guy._ Old Denae said calmly.

_Yes, but he is also a good-looking, charming guy. Remind you of someone?_ New Denae wasn't impressed.

I took a deep breath to ease the panic I felt rise in my chest. I was still letting the fact that the guy that I was pretty sure hated me was actually very nice, and funny sink in. We already were getting along so well, and I barely knew him. I decided not to think about it anymore and walked outside. Old Denae did a victory dance. I looked around and didn't see a ladder or Jacob. I took a few steps in my front yard and put my hands on my hips, wondering if I had scared him off already.

"Wow this **is** gross." Jacob's voice came from behind me. I jumped and turned around.

"How on earth did you get up there?!" I asked, placing my hand over my racing heart as I looked up at Jacob, who was on top of my roof, no ladder in sight.

"Oh, I climbed. Your ladder looked pretty rough." He shrugged.

"You climbed? Like, Spiderman or something?"

"Um, Spiderman doesn't use trees, so no." He pointed to a tree at the edge of my house; its branches were close to the roof. "Just because you're short," he began.

"Real original." I rolled my eyes. I walked over to the small tool shed that stood next to my house and found a hammer and some nails.

I began to hammer a loose board the floor board of my porch that I had been tripping over constantly since I moved in. Suddenly Jacob was standing over me "Whatcha doing?"

His sudden appearance scared me. My carpentry skills were at about the same level as my culinary skills, so with the distraction, I missed the nail and the hammer came down on my thumb. I dropped the hammer instantly and sat down on the porch. "Holy shhh…" I cut my inner sailor's potty mouth off early and instead let out a sound that was comparable to a drowning cat. "That HURTS"

Jacob's face was very close to my own suddenly, and his head was bent down. He grabbed my injured hand from where my good one was clutching it in pain. "Oh my gosh I'm so sorry, Denae! Let me look, how bad does it hurt?" He gently held my hand in his rough hand, examining it closely.

"It hurts, but I'll be okay," I said in short choppy spurts, trying to hold back tears of pain.

"Maybe you should go to the doctors, I know one…" he began.

I shook my head and tried to pull my hand from his. "I'm okay. No big deal. I've had worse." I gave a final tug and he released my hand.

He mumbled something and stood up quickly. "Don't move." He instructed and walked inside my house quickly.

I rolled my eyes. He was acting like I was so breakable. This was honestly nothing compared to some of the injuries I had faced in the past six months. At the thought, I reached up and touched the cold scar on my shoulder as a reflex. I stood up and walked inside to see Jacob grabbing ice out of my freeze. "I'm really okay, Jacob. No biggie."

"I told you not to move!"

I rolled my eyes again. "I'm fine. Really. It doesn't even really hurt very much." I shrugged and leaned against the counter. I was lying, of course. But I didn't want to tell Jacob that.

He eyed me suspiciously. "Are you…"

"I'm sure!" I threw my hands up.

"You're something else…" he said and crossed his arms across his chest and tilted his head to the side a little, like I was a puzzle he was trying to figure out.

"How about some food in exchange for all of your help? Edible this time, I promise." I moved next to where he was leaning on the counter and pulled open the freezer, taking out a frozen pizza. "I've mastered the frozen pizza."

He laughed at me. "That sounds good." Then his smiled faded. "Um, I eat a lot though. Maybe I oughta get myself something."

I shook my head, he was a big guy; I could understand that. "Oh, no worries, I'm stocked up." I took all three pizzas I had out of my freezer, intending for him to pick which one he liked.

I almost said something when he began opening all three and then asked "Cookie sheets?"

I kept my mouth shut and opened a drawer indicating where the cookie sheets were.

* * *

Three pizzas later, I was sitting on the counter in the kitchen while Jacob sat backwards in a chair. His long legs were stretched out in front of him and he wrapped his arms around the back of the chair. We had made small talk back and forth as we ate. I learned that he had a group of friends he considered his brothers, he loved to work on cars, and was working in a mechanic's shop this summer. He loved the outdoors and the woods, and when he said he ate a lot, he wasn't kidding.

In exchange, I told him about working at the restaurant in Forks, I talked about Doc, Martha, Jessilyn and Faith and how much they meant to me and how much I missed them. I was happy that he seemed interested in what I had to say, but didn't ask a lot of personal questions.

I decided to copy off of his previous question, out of curiosity. "So, won't your girlfriend be missing you or something, since you've been over here for a while?"

He let out a snort. "I don't have a girlfriend,"

"Oh." I answered, feeling wary about how pleased his answer made me.

I heard my phone beep and indicate the battery was about ready to die. "Let me plug that in," I said, and jumped off the counter. I walked into my room and plugged the phone into my charger. I turned around and almost ran into Jacob's chest.

"What's up with your bed?"

I took a step back and looked up at him, feeling silly. "Um, well I couldn't get the frame together…" I sighed and pointed to the mess. "Plus the box spring is too heavy for me to move."

"Do you care if I give it a try?" he asked. The playful smirk was back on his face.

"Go for it." I shrugged. "It's impossible, though."

He just laughed. I moved out of his way, and headed to the kitchen to wash the small amount dishes we used. I rearranged a few things in the house and then wandered back to my room.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Jacob turned around. "Almost done!" he said cheerfully. The bed frame was half way together. I shook my head.

"Do you know how long I worked on that…" I said, exasperated.

Jacob laughed. "I'm starting to think that gutter-cookie thing was just a stunt to get me over here to work."

"Oh, you caught me." I said lamely as he fit the last part of the frame together. I watched as he lifted the box spring and bed and placed it on the frame.

"There ya go." He turned towards me and smiled. "Anything else I can fix?" He looked very proud of himself.

I wanted to tell him that he had already fixed enough: My gutter, the board that he finished nailing down when the pizzas where cooking, my bed frame, and most of all me. I was shocked at how easily I let myself become comfortable around Jacob. I felt like myself again, and I loved it. A tiny part of me (New Denae hadn't totally left the building, but was pounding on the door outside) was still wary of this incredibly good looking guy, and I was waiting for him to pull a Grant and turn out to be another one of my own personal monsters. However, overwhelmingly I saw Jacob as my sun, his bright smile breaking through the dreary clouds hanging over my head. _Plus,_ Old Denae rationalized, _who knows long you'll be stuck in the rainy town of Forks. There's no point in being miserable and the least you can do is make a new friend._

"I don't know if I can thank you enough," I shook my head. "You're awesome."

Jacob's smile grew even wider. "You're not so bad yourself," then his grin faltered. "Hey, sorry I was kind of a jerk at first, I just... had a lot on my mind."

"No, don't be sorry." I paused to think about how I wanted to word my next sentence. "Maybe we should forget the whole first impression thing, it was kind of awkward."

"Agreed." He nodded, and then sighed. "I've gotta go. I really liked spending time with you, Denae. I know you don't know anyone here, so if you need anything, please tell me." His face got very serious. "I get the idea that you like to do things on your own, but its okay to ask for help. Don't wait 'til you're hanging from the side of your house to ask…or scream…for it."

I smiled. "Okay, sounds good. And, since you're not at your home, if you need anything let me know, even if it's just company." I looked away, trying to remain casual, but my heart was racing. I didn't want to look too desperate for company.

"That sounds awesome!" He said in an excited tone. "Okay, I really gotta go."

I walked him to the door. "Have a good night, Jacob."

"You too Denae." He smiled softly and my heart melted a little.


	5. Chapter 4: Bring Me to Life

A/N: Why hello there, sorry for the delay! I rewrote this chapter a few times, and I think I'm okay with how it turned out...but you should let me know what you think!! Thank you to the always amazing and encouraging readers/reviewers/alerters/favoriters/etc. You guys are terrific and make my day! :) I don't know Twilight (that's Stephanie Meyer) or the Brady Bunch. Enjoy the chapter! Hopefully I'll have the next one up before too long!

* * *

**THE CURE**

**_Chapter 4_**

**_Bring Me to Life- Evanescence _**

I was amazed at how quickly I adjusted to Jacob's company. In three weeks I could honestly say that I considered him a friend. However, our friendship wasn't typical. It was like an unspoken rule between us that we each had secrets that we didn't, or in my case couldn't, share, and so we avoided those topics. But little by little we got to know more about each other and little by little I found myself trusting him.

He was probably the most easy-going and caring guy I knew. A few nights a week we'd have dinner together, usually some delicious left-over food he brought from Emily's, a friend of his. Usually though, he was busy doing stuff for the people of La Push. I found it really admirable that he was so involved in helping out his community and the Quileute people even if I wasn't sure exactly what he did.

I was still wary of his friendship at first and it took me a few days to clear the paranoid thoughts from my head. A phone conversation with Jessilyn actually was what finally changed my mind. I talked to her about three days after the cookie incident and within five minutes she knew I wasn't telling her something.

"What is it?" she insisted. "You're hiding something Denny, tell me."

I sighed. "Well. I don't know where to begin,"

"How about at the beginning?" she said and I could picture the sarcastic look she would be giving me.

"Okay," I took a deep breath and told her the story starting from the gutter incident. I had to pause for her laughter when I explained how I almost killed him with my cookies, but eventually I made it through the story.

"So, what's the problem? Why do you sound so distraught?" She asked. Jessilyn was always very dramatic.

"I'm not distraught. I just don't know how I feel about this. I don't really trust anyone, except for you and Doc and Martha."

"Oh, Denae." she said. "I know people have given you a reason not to trust them in the past, but not everyone is like that."

"I know, but I just don't know him."

"So, get to know him!" her southern accent sounded shrill over the phone as she laughed at me "Don't over think this because I know you will."

"I'm not over thinking it."

"Yes, you are. Because if you weren't you wouldn't see a problem with getting to know the guy." She moved on, knowing she had made her point. "There's nothing wrong with making friends while you're there."

I knew that. I had told myself that, but part of me knew how things tended to go wrong in my life and it usually affected the people around me. "I guess."

"Is he cute? Is this what this is about? Do you have a crush? I think someone's being bashful!" she lightened the mood.

"Oh my gosh. I was waiting for you to ask that, I knew you couldn't resist." I laughed with her.

"Well, spill it sister."

"No."

"You have to!" she exclaimed. "I'm nineteen and a single momma I need to live my love-life through you because I sure as hell ain't getting any!"

"Jess!" I gasped, and then started laughing. "You're insane."

"Just tell me."

"Okay. He's not cute." I said.

"Aw, really? That's a shame." She sounded very disappointed.

"Yeah, he's not cute…" I trailed off. "He's freaking gorgeous."

I had to move the phone away from my head until she was finished screaming. I put the phone back to my ear hesitantly. "What does he look like?" She shouted.

"Calm down! You can't keep screaming like that." I sighed. "I don't know, just...good looking." I bit my lip, regretting telling her that and admitting to myself that I found Jacob attractive. I don't know how anyone couldn't find him attractive. He was probably the best looking guy I had ever seen.

I moved the phone away again as she screamed "Getcha some girl!"

"No, not happening," I said instantly. "Jacob and I are friends. I do not need anything but a friend right now, or ever for that matter." I felt bad about ruining Jessilyn's parade, but I couldn't help it. "I'm not ready for that again. It scares me." I said quietly.

Jessilyn's tone changed. "I know, sweetheart. I wish I could go back in time and kill that bastard for even thinking about touching you." She paused. "I'm so sorry, Denny. So, so sorry."

I shook my head. I wasn't dealing with these demons tonight. "I don't want talk about it right now, Jess. Okay?"

"Okay, tell me more about the hunky just-a-friend then,"

I smiled lightly. "We get along pretty well," I began and then went into details about how Jacob and I have a lot in common. After talking for a little bit longer, she let me go because Faith was getting upset. I hung up and contemplated our conversation.

Jacob and I did get along really well. He was a breath of fresh air. I enjoyed his easy going nature and his sense of humor matched mine. I would make silly jokes or say something that didn't make sense, and he'd just laugh with me. It was so nice to be brought back to life after how cold and dead I had felt. I could just stay holed up in my room and cry, but that wasn't who I was. I needed human interaction and laughter in my life and Jacob brought that to me.

Plus I figured someone as good looking as he was, and with his awesome personality, he wouldn't be interested in me. He probably had his pick of the ladies.

However, I couldn't help but give him credit for pulling me out of my comatose state and bring me back amongst the living. I started getting to know the people I worked with more and found out the restaurant had a co-ed volleyball team that played in games through the city. Various employees played on the team, and they were short a player, so I was instantly put on the team. I didn't tell them about my experience because they didn't ask, but I was very excited about our game next week and impromptu practice tomorrow.

I shook my head to bring myself out of the memory of Jessilyn's phone call and stood up and went to go finish the laundry glancing at the clock. It was 11pm on a Tuesday night and I had been off work for the past hour. Usually on Tuesdays Jacob stopped by and said hello right after I got home from work, but I hadn't heard from him at all that day. As I finished folding clothes I heard a knock at the door.

I couldn't help the smile on my face as I figured that it was probably Jacob and I ran lightly to the door. I took a deep breath and opened the door. My big smile faltered a little as I realized the person standing on my porch was not Jacob. He reminded me of Jacob with his similar dark skin, hair and eyes, though his hair was more of a buzz cut. He was also shorter than Jacob, but not by much and just as muscular. He had a big grin on his face. "Hello, Denae." He greeted me.

"Hi…" I trailed off. I racked my brain trying to remember if I had ever met him. No, I'd remember someone this big, especially after meeting Jacob.

"My name is Quil Artera. I'm one of Jacob's friends." He stuck out his hand.

I remember Jacob talking about Quil and I had heard stories about them causing trouble when they were younger. "Oh it's nice to meet you Quil!" I said in a surprised tone and then smiled again. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Nice to me you too, I've heard a lot about you as well," he chuckled.

I decided right then I liked Quil. He looked like the type of person who was probably always smiling and doing something he probably shouldn't be doing, which is exactly what I got the impression he was doing at that moment.

"Oh…" I responded. "Would you like to come in?" I was unsure about the reason behind Quil's visit, but I tried to be polite.

"Sure!" he said happily.

I closed the door as he walked in. "What can I help you with Quil?" I asked after I turned back around.

"Well, I wanted to extend an invitation to a barbeque with some of mine and Jacob's friends. Jacob told us that you were new to the area, and so I thought that you'd like to maybe come over to La Push and meet some new people!" his arms flailed around as he spoke and I enjoyed watching his animated monologue. "Jacob thought you'd say no because you work a lot, but I figured I'd give it a shot. Plus, everyone's dying to meet the mysterious neighbor who falls off houses and cooks deadly cookies." he winked at me.

I couldn't help but laugh. "That sounds great!" I responded and opened my mouth to comment on the rest of the invitation, but the door opened quickly.

"Quil! I will kill you." Jacob entered the room followed by another incredibly tall muscular guy. He was leaner than Jacob and Quil, but looked very similar to them. He gave me a shy smile and ducked inside my house. Jacob turned towards me. "I am so so sorry Denae. I told them you were busy and that you probably were about to go to bed, and…"

"It's okay!" I cut him off. "I was just going to say that I'd love to go, but I just didn't know when you were having it..." I smiled at him and then turned to Quil, who was grinning proudly.

"Friday evening." Quil responded. "Jacob could give you a ride so you don't get lost." He turned his grin to Jacob who was glaring at him. "By the way that is Embry Call over there, he was in charge of holding Jacob off when I snuck over here."

I stuck out my hand towards Embry. "It's nice to meet you Embry, I'm Denae."

He shook my hand with the same warm grasp that Jacob and Quil had "Nice to finally meet you too. Sorry about barging in."

He wasn't as talkative or lively as Quil, but he had a friendly open smile on his face and I decided that I liked Embry as well. "No problem," I responded. I turned back towards Quil and Jacob. "I get off at 4, will that be too late?"

"Nope," Quil responded. "It starts at 6, but you guys can come whenever." Then Quil looked over at my clock. "Embry and I have to run," he took a step towards the door. "It was really nice meeting you Denae, see you Friday!"

"Nice to meet you too, Quil. Bye Embry." I waved as they headed out the door and shut it behind them. I turned to where Jacob had his hands up to his face.

"I am so sorry," he said again. "They have no manners. Really, they are so uncivilized. I told them not to bother you." He peeked behind his fingers.

"Hey, it's no big deal I was just hanging out." I shrugged.

"You don't have to go Friday," He looked down at the floor and dropped his hands.

"Oh, well. If you don't want me to…" I trailed off to make it sound like a question. I didn't know why Jacob was so embarrassed. His friends were great, and I was excited about meeting some new people that were friends of Jacob's. I started to think maybe he didn't want me to go.

"No, no!" he jumped in. "Of course I want you to. That's not what I meant. I just didn't want you to feel obligated."

"Well, I don't." I shrugged.

"Well, okay then," He smiled at me. "How was your night?"

I smiled back, feeling better now that I knew Jacob wanted me to go. "Not too bad. Worked, watched some Brady Bunch, did some laundry."

"Sounds thrilling,"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh yeah, I'm a real daredevil."

Jacob looked like he was considering something. "Do you work in the morning?"

I looked up surprised. "Um, no. Not until later in the day, why?"

"Do you want to do something really exciting right now?"

I crossed my arms and pretended to think. "Hm… more exciting than laundry and the Brady Bunch, I don't know…"

"I'll take that as a yes. Let's go." He grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the door. "Grab some shoes!"

I pulled on some sneakers and followed Jacob outside. "What are we doing?" I asked as he pulled me across the yard.

"Having some fun!" he smiled down at me. We walked around the other side of his car and a motorcycle was sitting there. "Ever ride a motorcycle?"

"No, I haven't! How cool!" I said excitedly as I jumped up and down a little. "Is this yours?"

"Um, kinda." He responded, then handed me a helmet. "Just in case."

"Where's yours?" I asked referring to his lack of head gear.

"I'll be alright," he said and helped me put it on. He shook his head and laughed. "That's a good look for you."

"Why thanks," I laughed with him and struck a pose.

He climbed on the motorcycle and starting giving me instructions. "Okay, climb on behind me, put your feet here," he pointed to a spot on the bike. "And you can hold on behind you, or if that's uncomfortable, you can uh hold on to me." He looked away when he said that and put his hands on the handle bars.

I climbed on the bike and quickly saw that my short arms wouldn't be able to reach the spot behind me easily so I summoned some courage and lightly put my arms around Jacob's torso, trying to keep it an innocent touch between friends. I was so embarrassed and was suddenly glad I had the helmet on to cover most of my face. Jacob started the bike. He turned slightly and tapped my helmet. "Ready?" I faintly heard him over the loud sound of the bike.

I nodded in response. My stomach was doing flip-flops from nerves both at the motorcycle ride and from being so close to Jacob. He was so warm, and even though I didn't hold on tightly I could feel his muscles underneath his light jacket.

Jacob rolled the bike back a little and we took off down the dirt road. My adrenaline began pumping. As I felt the wind blow the hair underneath my helmet and whip across my face I couldn't help but laugh. It was an awesome feeling; going so fast and feeling the wind on my skin. I felt Jacob's chest rise and fall as he laughed with me and he sped up. It surprised me and I clutched tighter to him as a reflex. Once I realized what I did, I loosened my grip, but not by much.

I'm not sure how much time went by, but soon I could feel the moisture in the air and I realized we were probably nearing a beach. I leaned back a little and looked around. It was too dark to really see where we were so I just closed my eyes for a moment and took a few deep breaths; just enjoying the ride and forgetting about everything else.

I felt us begin to slow and I opened my eyes as Jacob turned into a gravel lot. We came to a stop and I let go of Jacob. He got off and then offered me a hand to help me off the back of the bike. I stumbled a little as I found my legs again, but he caught me. "What did you think?" he asked me with a big smile on his face.

"That was so cool!" I said happily. I pulled the helmet off of my head and tossed my hair to the side to try to keep it out of my face. I looked over at Jacob happily. He was grinning at me. "What?" I could tell he wanted to say something.

"Did you learn that from like the movies or something?" he blurted out.

"What?" I asked again, very confused.

"The hair thing," he laughed. "All the girls who ride bikes in the movies do this hair thing when they take off their helmet. He said and imitated taking off a helmet and dramatically thrashed his head around, puckered his lips and batted his eye lashes.

"Oh my gos,." I rolled my eyes and sat the helmet on the bike. "I certainly hope I didn't look like that!" I put my hands on my hips.

He laughed at me "No, you didn't. It was pretty hot." His eyes widened as the words slipped out and I felt my face begin to heat up. "Um, like, the uh…" he stammered and looked around. "So this is First Beach in La Push." He said and quickly turned around.

I began to breathe again and I was glad for the subject change. "Oh, really," I said, probably too shakily. Not bringing up what slipped out of Jacob's mouth was just fine with me. I was probably reading too much into it, and a change of subject was best.

"Yeah, I spent a lot of time here growing up. We have bonfires here sometimes." He pointed to some drift wood in the distance that I could faintly make out. I still couldn't look him in the eyes.

"Awesome," I replied. "Do people swim here?"

"No, not really." He laughed lightly. "We very rarely have days warm enough to go swimming. Sometimes in the summer though. It's just kind of a hang out the rest of the year though."

I nodded "Gotcha." I knew what he meant about the weather. I shivered a little as the wind coming off the water hit me.

"Are you cold?" I was surprised Jacob noticed my movement.

"Nah, I'm fine," I responded but Jacob was already unzipping his jacket.

"Sorry, I should have told you to grab something," He placed the jacket over my shoulders. "Wear this."

I started to shrug it off "No, I'm okay. What will you wear?" I didn't want to take his jacket from him.

Jacob firmly moved the jacket back into place. It was still so warm from him. I happened to notice that Jacob was always very, very warm. "I'll be just fine and will feel a lot better if you wear it,"

I sighed and slipped my arms into the jacket. It was huge on me I tried to push up the sleeves but they were incredibly long. "Geeze," I said as I looked down.

"It just swallows you up," he laughed. "You're tiny."

"No, you are just huge." I countered. We reached some drift wood and I followed Jacob's example and took a seat on it. I looked out to the water as it was illuminated by the moon and then looked up to the stars. It was actually clear out tonight and without the bright lights of the city it was the most remarkable sight I had seen in a long time. "It's so beautiful out here. I love how peaceful it is." I was pretty sure I had found my new favorite place and made a mental note to pay attention to the route we took on the way home so I could come see it in the daylight one day.

"I kind of had a feeling you would like it, and the motorcycle," Jacob responded and I saw him lean back. "You just seem kind of sad or stressed or mad sometimes." He paused, but I knew he had more to say. "Not as much as when you first moved here, but sometimes I can just tell you have a lot to deal with. I thought maybe doing something spontaneous would be fun, and I know the beach always helps me. I thought maybe you'd like it too."

I was touched that Jacob did this because he thought I needed it. I sighed at his words. "I didn't realize I was that easy to read, Mom would be ashamed." I smiled a little and remembered my mother teaching me tricks to stay in character and instructing Chase and I not to 'break the fourth wall' as we acted out the random, various skits and plays we liked to write.

"It's your eyes." Jacob responded quietly and I looked up and realized he was looking down at me. "You do a pretty good job acting like everything's alright, but I can see it in your eyes. Like right now, you're smiling, but your eyes look sad."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "What are you? A mind reader?" I teased.

Jacob's eyes widened and then his expression changed and he wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Hardly," he replied then sighed. "I just…" he began and then paused. "Since we've been hanging out I consider you one of my friends, and I don't want my friends to be sad."

I smiled. "I consider you my friend too Jacob, and that's what I really need right now." I looked back up at him.

"What did you mean by your mom would be ashamed?" Jacob asked me quietly. "You don't have to tell me, I'm just curious."

I bit my lip. Jacob and I had talked a lot, but we hadn't really talked about our families very much. Maybe it was because I was still touched by his words, but I felt like I should tell Jacob about some of my past. Not enough to scare him off, but enough so he'd realize that I really did see him as a friend.

"My mom taught theater at the University of Texas in Denton. So, of course she would teach my brother and I about acting and how to get into character and make it believable. Sometimes I think she regretted it because Chase and I became pretty good liars." I laughed softly and shook my head. "Chase was a natural, though. He could be anyone and you'd totally believe him." I brought my legs up under my chin and looked out across the water again.

"What about your dad?" Jacob asked quietly. "What is he like?"

This conversation was a big step for me. I didn't really want to bring my past to Forks with me, and figured I could just show up here and be someone new. I thought maybe I could stick to myself, and not worry about anyone else being involved in my crazy past. I didn't expect to be invited to barbecues, make friends at work, or develop a friendship with my neighbor. For most people, talking about their family didn't require a big decision. However, I had lost a lot friends after Mom passed away. People don't know what to say to someone who is grieving and it becomes awkward for them. So, rather than deal with that, they avoid it.

I had three options. First, I could tell Jacob that I didn't want to talk about it, and I'm sure he'd totally act like he understood, but it would still be weird. I could also make up a story and lie about my family and avoid it all together. New Denae was back and expressed her support for these options. However, my last option was the scariest; I could tell him the truth and hope for the best.

I looked up at Jacob and prepared myself to lie more than ever before, because I was selfish and wanted to hold on to his friendship for just a while longer. Making up some happy story about my past would be the easiest way to do that.

But, I wasn't prepared for what I saw when I looked into those deep chocolate brown eyes. They caught me so off guard that my mouth began moving and before I realized it, I had chosen an option and there was no turning back.


	6. Chapter 5:My Life Would Suck Without You

A/N: Ahhh I'm sorry! I know it's been a long time. The holidays and final exams made my life crazy, and then I started writing for a news paper part time where I live and my life just continued to stay crazy. However, the next chapter is well on it's way to being finished, so hopefully I'll get it up with in the week...hopefully. I hope you guys haven't abandoned this story, because I have lots more to write! Thanks for all the support! I don't own a darn thing...Stephanie Meyer does. I hope you enjoy! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and enjoy the story! Let me know what you think!

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**THE CURE**

**_Chapter 5_**

**_My Life Would Suck Without You -Kelly Clarkson_**

I believe the term verbal diarrhea would best describe what happened next. I couldn't help it. Jacob looked down at me and he seemed truly interested. He seemed like he wanted to know more. He seemed like he was only listening to me, and not thinking about anything else. He seemed like he cared.

"Um, Dad was actually a writer," I blurted out the truth. "Mom said that he had a way with words. He could make you feel anything he wanted you to; just by the words he said or wrote. She always said it was his words that made her fall in love with him." I took a second to breathe from what probably sounded like one long run on sentence. "He, uh, he was in a car accident before I was born, and I um, never met him." Well, the lying thing wasn't working out too well for me. I couldn't help it. There was no way I could have lied to those eyes that held so much sincerity. I turned my head away, waiting for the awkward excuse to end the conversation and leave. It would be such a let down from the great day I had been having.

Jacob's hand softly touched my arm. "I'm sorry." He said softly. "My mom passed away when I was really little, I really just have pictures and stories my dad tells me. It's hard for people to understand that sometimes,"

I nodded. "Unless they've been through it" I added. "I'm sorry about your mom."

I turned to look over at him. We just looked at each other for a moment. Then he spoke again. "Will you tell me more about your family?"

I looked up at him. "It's not really a happy story," I said softly. I didn't want to lose Jacob's friendship; not yet. I had just finally felt alive again and I really didn't do the whole lonely thing very well.

"I didn't say it had to be. No one's life is a fairy tale." He shrugged.

I took a deep breath. "Okay, but if you want to run screaming I understand," I attempted a smile, but failed. Jacob's stare didn't falter a bit, and I wasn't sure if that should comfort me, or unnerve me. Somehow, it did both. "Well, like I said my mom taught at UNT. She was an amazing actress. I loved watching her act. She was kind of scatter brained sometimes, but she was also very passionate. She always put my brother and I first. Even when she was so sick, she acted like she was fine so that we didn't know. I get my cooking skills from her, by the way." I tried to end my story on a happy note, thinking maybe we'd move on.

"When she was so sick?" Jacob repeated my words in a request for more details. The happy note didn't work. I knew I wasn't just dealing with any typical person. Jacob was different. There was something about him that just caused the story to come out. His easy going laid back attitude made me comfortable, and his intense caring gaze made me want to spill my soul to him. He also had something about him that told me that he had been through a lot. He had the personality to be one of those happy-go-lucky people that you could never relate to, but Jacob had an air of maturity and seriousness about him that made him very understanding.

"Yeah, when I was sixteen she was diagnosed with brain cancer, and she died that year," I said just above a whisper. Right about now is when most people turned around and headed for the hills. But, Jacob's arm moved instantly and rested lightly on my shoulders, providing some comfort and giving me physical proof that he was still there.

"She sounds like she was a great person," Jacob said simply. I enjoyed that so much about him. He said what he felt without coming across as blunt. Instead he just seemed genuine.

"She was," I agreed. "She always said I'm like my dad, more of a people person. My older brother Chase was like her. Sometimes people had a hard time understanding them because they thought of things in sort of abstract terms." I paused for a moment to decide where I wanted to take my story next. "When mom passed away, Chase dropped out of college to take care of me. When I graduated I began working more to help him pay for stuff, and he went back to school." I paused, and Jacob stayed quiet; his silence prodding me to continue. "He, um, was in a car accident in May and died."

I closed my eyes. When I said it out loud it basically sounded like my life was just one crappy string of unfortunate events. I had dealt with a lot, yes, but in between all of that there was a whole lot of happiness. Most of my memories were happy. I looked up but avoided his eyes. "I hope that I haven't totally depressed you now," I dropped my gaze when I caught a glimpse of his profile staring intently out into the water in front of us. His well-defined jaw line was tight and I could tell he was thinking about something. The silence was making me uneasy so I added, "I'm not usually this much of a downer…"

Jacob suddenly pulled me into his side and hugged me tightly. We were quiet for several moments; then he pulled back. "You're the strongest person I know," he said firmly as if it were an absolute fact. "But I'm so sorry you had to deal with so much in your life." I couldn't believe how sincere he sounded. Everything about his statement conveyed his emotions, his eyes, his facial expressions, and his tone. He barely knew me, yet out of anyone who had ever offered their condolences, Jacob's was the only one I really believed.

I thought about what to say next for a moment. "I had a lot of happy in there too, though," I shrugged. "When I say it like that, it sounds like a terribly dreary existence, but growing up I was always so happy. And, even after mom died Chase and I had a hard time, but we were still able to be happy."

Jacob made a sound of agreement and understanding and for a while we just sat there in silence, each thinking our own thoughts as we looked across the water. Jacob's arm was still across my shoulders and the light touch kept out most of the night's chill. I sat there, surprised with myself. I swore I wouldn't bring my past to Forks, but I had just unloaded most of it in Jacob's lap and the world wasn't crashing down around me. Actually, it was quite the opposite. I felt like a tiny bit of a burden had eased and I was able to breathe again. It felt…good… to tell him the truth.

It felt even better to realize I had been honest about my family, and we weren't making an awkward conversation about heading home right now and I wasn't sobbing like an idiot. Instead Jacob's support and touch was enough to make me feel strong.

After several moments had passed I spoke again. "Will you tell me about your family?" The truth was I was very curious about Jacob's past.

Jacob shifted a little and glanced down to give me a small smile. "Of course," he cleared his throat. "Like I said, my mom, Sarah, passed away when I was very young, but I still feel like she had a huge part in my life. Dad tells me so much about her all the time, and what she would think about certain things, that I feel like it's definitely influenced me. Dad's kept her alive through his stories of her.

"That's what he's good at; he tells amazing stories. People love to listen to him talk about the legends of our people, or any other story he wants to tell." I could hear the admiration in his voice and I couldn't help but smile in response. "He's actually the chief of the tribe…" Jacob trailed off.

My eyebrows rose in surprise. "Really? That is very cool; I can tell you look up to him and I can totally understand why." I actually found myself thinking that it made sense. I could see a lot of traits of a leader in Jacob. He seemed like he was very passionate about the things he believed in, he spoke with sincerity, he listened as if he was taking in every single syllable you said, and when he said something, you could tell it was a firm statement, he didn't skirt around the truth.

"I do," Jacob agreed. "He's great." He paused. "He's in a wheelchair now, because of his diabetes, but you know, that doesn't stop him from anything really." He shrugged and then looked over at me. "He'd like you. I can tell."

I smiled "And I think I'd like him too,"

Jacob grinned at me and turned his eyes upward for a second, looking at the stars like I found myself doing often that evening. "I have two older sisters, they're twins. Rachel and Rebecca." He chewed on his lip for a second. "I don't see them very much anymore. Rachel's in college and Rebecca lives in Hawaii with her husband." I could tell that this bothered Jacob, but he probably didn't admit it to anyone. "When my mom died, it was too much for them. They had to get away from the memories." His voice had gotten quiet again.

"I think that is understandable," I said softly, looking down at my hands. That's kind-of what I did, even though our circumstances weren't identical. I understood there being too much heartache to deal with, and needing to get away. I understood the Black sister's feelings.

"I do too." Jacob said. "Then, there's Quil and Embry that are like my brothers." He shook his head, "Although, after tonight I'm not sure why I think that."

I laughed. "I think they are great!"

"You've just met them, give it time. Those two along with the rest of the pack will give you a headache."

"The pack?" I asked confused by the reference.

"Oh, uh yeah." Jacob quickly looked down at me "That's what our group of friends on the Rez call ourselves. Kind of an inside joke…"

"How many are there?" I asked, curious.

"There's Sam, Jared, Paul, Seth, and Leah," he paused "A couple of younger kids, Brady and Collin, hang out with us too sometimes. Most of them will be at the barbecue. We're all pretty close for the most part. Except for Leah," he rolled his eyes. "That's a whole different story."

I nodded "I'm looking forward to meeting everyone," which, I was. I was also slightly nervous. I did just fine around Jacob, and I think I could eventually handle Quil and Embry, since they already seemed to like me, but I don't know how I'd feel around all of Jacob's friends. In fact, I wondered what that made me if he had a whole group of very close friends.

After that we were quiet for a long time. The sound of the water hitting the shore lulled each of us into our own thoughts, and we were comfortable enough to sit in our peaceful surroundings and not speak. This told me that my decision to tell Jacob the truth was a good idea. After all that, I was still sitting here next to him and neither of us found it necessary to fill the silence with words.

Finally, the silence was broken when a wave of exhaustion hit me. It was probably the soft sounds of nature around us coupled with the emotional stress of revealing all that information about myself setting in. I gave an abrupt yawn that broke us both out of our thoughts.

"You're tired," Jacob said and began to stand up.

"Yeah, kind of," I said disappointedly. "I wish I wasn't. I could stay out here all night. It's amazing."

"I'm glad you like it," Jacob helped me out of my seat and we turned back towards the parking lot. "It's a good spot to think."

"Yeah, it really is," I agreed as we meandered our way back to the motorcycle. "Thanks for listening and still being here," I said suddenly. We stopped at the bike, and I turned slightly away from him, not wanting to look at him as I talked. "I feel a lot better now. I'm so glad you showed me this, and I appreciate you telling me about your family."

"Hey," Jacob said, his soft, gentle tone causing me to look up at him. He had a big grin on his face, but his voice stayed soft as he spoke carefully. "It was my pleasure. You're good company, and like I said, you are the strongest person I know, and I appreciate you telling me about your family." The grin dropped suddenly. "I wish I could go back in time and make it so none of that happened, though."

I didn't respond.

"Let's get you home," Jacob said and climbed onto the bike. I climbed on behind him and again, hesitantly put my arms around him. With just his thin t-shirt on, I could feel the outline of his muscles.

Rather than letting the feel of Jacob's warm, hard body combined with the adrenaline from the motorcycle ride and my joy from being accepted turn me into a big pile of mush I focused on the feel of the wind in my face as we sped down the road. But in the back of my mind I couldn't help but realize that it seemed like Jacob was Mr. Perfect.

***

The next morning I woke up and glanced at my clock. My eyes widened as I realized that it was almost noon and I was supposed to go practice with the volleyball team in half an hour. I jumped out of bed and grabbed some clothes and headed to the shower. I couldn't believe I slept in so long. Ever since I came to Forks I could barely sleep, and last night I slept like a rock. Jacob and I had gotten back at about 1 am, and I knew I was tired when I got home, but I couldn't believe how long I slept.

As I rushed through my routine of getting ready, a thought occurred to me. I actually felt—lighter—or something. It didn't make a whole lot of sense, but I knew it had to do with telling Jacob about my family last night, and him accepting me.

I headed into Forks and went to the small community center where we'd play our game next the next day and where practice was taking place. I got out of my car about the same time Marie Hall, a high school girl who worked at the restaurant occasionally got out with a guy who looked around my age.

"Hi, Marie," I waved at her.

"Hey, Denae!" she waved happily. Marie was a very ditzy, stereotypical high school girl, but she was very sweet, and we actually got a long pretty well. We met up as we walked into the building. "Denae, this is my big brother Bobby, he's going to play too, he owns a gym in Port Angeles with his friend and they play on a team up there sometimes so he's pretty good. Bobby, this Denae she works with me. She's from Texas that's why she has the really cute accent."

I rolled my eyes, "I don't have an accent." Then I turned towards Bobby. "Nice to meet you Bobby," I stuck out my hand and looked at Bobby. He was probably just under 6 feet tall and he had blonde hair and nice green eyes.

He shook my hand, "Howdy," he replied with a smirk, "It's nice to meet you too."

We walked into the building and Marie guided us to the court. Ashley, another waitress, was there sitting down her two children with a coloring book. She was about 35 and usually pretty quiet. Standing next to her I recognized her husband Tom who came in and ate at the restaurant every day for lunch on the days that Ashley worked. Rick, the owner of restaurant was walking in from the opposite end with volleyballs.

"Hey guys!" He greeted. "Ready for practice?" He tossed a volleyball at me and I caught it.

"Sure," I replied and bounced the ball on the court a few times, smacking it with the palm of my hand. It felt good to be playing volleyball again. I was able to play my senior year until I graduated early, but I hadn't played very much in the past six months.

"Alright, well let's just scrimmage for now," Rick said. "And Bobby, you're on my team." He laughed and walked around to the other side of the court.

"I'm on their team!" Tom said happily and joined the two other men on opposite side of the net.

"This isn't fair!" Marie insisted. "Bobby is awesome! Plus, you know I suck, and half the time Ashley has to go take care of her kids, and Denae is short and she's never played before." Her hands were on her hips.

"Actually I have played—" I began to reply but Tom interrupted me.

"Oh, come one we'll go easy on you," he laughed and Rick moved into position to serve.

Marie, Ashley and I took our places on the court. Rick hit the ball over and it went right to where Marie was standing in front of the net. She screamed and covered her head with her hands. The ball dropped right in front of her.

The guys cheered across the net and Marie and Ashley both simultaneously put their hands on their hips. Rick grabbed the ball and moved to serve again. He tossed it up and hit it, but it fell just short of going over the net. Ashley and Marie cheered.

After a few minutes of the same thing, it was my turn to serve. I hit it over the net and Bobby easily volleyed it back over. Ashley hit it up, but didn't control it, and it flew up high in the air. I decided to use that as an advantage and I moved and jumped to spike it. It hit the middle of the boys' court.

Everyone stared at me, except Bobby who looked at me with an amused smirk. "How long have you been playing?" he asked.

"Six years," I replied with a smile.

"O M G" Marie yelled and jumped up and down excitedly "We're so gonna win this year!"

I spent the rest of practice helping out the rest of the team on technique with Bobby, and I found he was actually a nice guy. The team was confident that we'd win this year with both Bobby and I, and it made me feel good to be included.

I had become known as "Short Stuff" at the restaurant and Rick had that printed on the back of my team shirt. Everyone had something printed on the backs of their shirts. Bobby's said Hall #1, and Marie's said Hall #2. Ashley's had Mom printed on the back and Tom's said Dad. Rick's had THE BOSS in all caps.

After learning that I had been playing volleyball for so long, and I still had my spandex from playing, a bet was established. We decided to keep track, and if during the next game the girls had more serves over the net, the boys had to wear short-shorts to the second game, but if the boys had more serves, the girls had to wear spandex.

At the game Thursday night, I began to feel a little out of place. Everyone on the team had someone there supporting them. Marie and Bobby's parents and little sister were there, wearing team shirts with "FAN OF: Hall # 1 & 2" printed on the back. Rick's wife and son had similar shirts with "FAN OF: The Boss" on theirs. Ashley's mother and sister came too, and brought Ashley and Tom's kids, as well as Ashley's sister's kids. They all had shirts that said: "FAN OF: Mom & Dad" on the back, even Ashley's niece, who was only 9 months old.

A few other employees of the restaurant had shirts that said "FAN OF: The Team" on them, and as I looked around, I saw all the teams at the games had similar fan bases. It kind of made me realize how alone I was in Forks.

Jacob was the only person I knew outside of people I worked with, and he was always so busy at night that I didn't ask him to come. Plus, I wasn't sure if that was taking our friendship too far, and after hearing about his long list of friends he said he was very close to, I was afraid I thought we were better friends than we actually were. I didn't want to venture into any awkward territory with our friendship.

We played a team that Marie assured me that we'd have an easy victory over, and we ended up winning. I was proud to see that each of the members had gotten much better. Bobby walked over to me after the game was over. "Looks like we've got a good team, coach,"

I laughed "I think so too, coach,"

Bobby's father walked up to Bobby and patted him on the back "Good game, son!" The two moved towards the rest of their family. I was left alone again, and I started to pack up my stuff.

"Hey, Short Stuff!" Rick yelled. "We're all going back to the restaurant to celebrate, you coming?"

I looked over at the group and realized how much I'd stick out if I showed up by myself "Nah, I think I'm heading home," I replied.

"Are you sure?" he asked. I nodded in response. "Okay, kiddo, well don't forget, the boys won tonight, so you girls are wearing spandex to the next game!" he laughed.

I shook my head. "I know, I know. Good job, guys!" I waved as I shoved my knee pads into my bag. "See you later!"

The group left and Barb, an older lady who waitressed a few nights a week walked towards the door with me. "Where were your fans tonight, sweetie?" She asked with a smile.

I forced a smile back. "I guess they couldn't make it," I lied.

"That's too bad. Maybe next time." she replied.

I just smiled as I unlocked my car. "Goodnight, Barb."

"Night, dear."

The next day at when I woke up I was a nervous wreck. I hadn't heard from Jacob the past couple days, and I was supposed to be going to the barbecue with his him that evening. I began to think that maybe I had scared him off, and he just acted like I didn't because he was nice. I also felt kind of mad that I hadn't heard from him. I felt like I made a fool of myself by telling him about my past, and then him not talking to me was a slap in my face. I mean, I know I'm dysfunctional but he can relate at least a little. I sighed, yet when I was around him, I don't know how to act. I'm just messed up. But to be honest, the past few days sucked without Jacob.

However, when I walked into work at 11 that day, he was sitting in a booth, talking happily with Barb as she handed him a to-go cup and picked up some plates from in front of him.

He instantly looked up at me before I was even all the way in the door and gave me a big grin. I smiled shyly back at him, and gave him a little wave. I walked over to where he was sitting. "Hi," I said.

"Hi," he replied, his eyes hadn't left me. "I came by to make sure you still wanted to come tonight… If you're busy it's ok…"

"No, no I'm not;" I shook my head, "I'd still like to go."

"Awesome!" He said happily, and I found myself giving him a wide smile. He had the most infectious smile I had ever witnessed. Then his face got serious. "I'm sorry that I haven't been around the past few days," he looked down for a moment.

"Oh, well you're a busy person," I shrugged; now feeling guilty.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I should have at least stopped by. I mean, you really put yourself out there telling me all that, I'm not a very good friend to just disappear after that. I know how that goes, I'm sorry."

"It's alright Jacob, don't be sorry," I said and put a hand on his table. "I'm just glad that you weren't scared off."

He looked up at me with a huge smile, 'You can't get rid of me that easily. So, six o'clock?"

"Sounds great!" I replied.

He stood up. "Okay, well I have to go back to work; I'll see you later, Denae."

"Bye, Jacob," I said, and with one last smile he was out the door.

Barb gave me a big grin and a wink. "What a nice young man," she said.

"Yeah, Jacob's great," I replied.

"He came in here looking for you, and I told him you didn't come in 'til later, then talked him into staying to eat and wait for you." She said as she picked up the rest of his dishes. "Of course, it didn't take much to convince him."

I smiled a little. "Oh, I see,"

The day at work went by way too fast, and the next thing I knew I was standing in front of my closet, not knowing what to wear and drying my hair with a towel. I finally picked out a pair of light colored blue jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt hoping it would work. I grew more nervous as I continued to get ready. I let my dark brown, practically black, hair remain wavy after it dried, rather than straightening it like I normally would. I even added some light make up and a tiny bit of lip gloss. I used a little bit of eyeliner and eye shadow for the first time since I came to Forks, and tried to remember what Jessilyn told me to do to make my blue eyes 'pop'. When I finished I didn't think I looked that much different, so I gave up.

I sat on the couch and somehow my nerves began to take control. I started to wonder what would happen if all of Jacob's friends hated me. Maybe he'd realize there was something wrong with me, and decide he didn't want anything to do with me anymore. Or, maybe I'd end up doing something embarrassing, and Jacob would have to try to cover it up, and then in his nice, sweet way tell me to get lost.

A knock on the door brought me out of my thoughts. I slowly got up and walked to the door, and tried to take a deep breath. I opened it and was instantly met with Jacob's big smile as he looked down at me. "Hi!" he greeted happily.

Jacob's happy smile and tone warmed me and I instantly felt a little cheered by it. He radiated pure joy in that moment and I couldn't help but be affected. I took in his dark blue t-shirt and jeans and felt relieved that I wasn't dressed up too much or dressed too casually. "Hey!" I replied.

"You look great," he said and then looked down quickly. "I mean, you always do, I just see you normally when you get off work and stuff, and you look nice, but you just look different now, but it's a good different." He mumbled and looked up and then down to his feet again quickly. "Your eyes are amazing." He murmured.

The happy feeling I got when I first answered the door begin to multiply with his compliments. "Thanks!" I said, feeling my cheeks heat up a little. "You look very nice too." And he did. He was dressed simply, and it looked like he wasn't trying at all. But everything, from the way his hair was a little messy to the perfect fit of his shirt over his muscled frame to the worn-in look of his shoes worked perfectly for Jacob.

His eyes met mine and he smiled. I realized that a lot of Jacob's happy vibe came from the way his smile reached his eyes. "Thanks! Are you ready to go?"

"Yep! Sure am," I grabbed my keys and locked the door.

The drive to La Push was filled with chatter as Jacob talked about the people I was about to meet. I tried to remember the details: Sam would be the older one who bossed everyone around, and Emily was his girlfriend. Jared was a little bit older than Jacob and his girlfriend was Kim, who was kind of quiet until you got to know her. Paul would be the angry looking one, but Paul and Jared probably wouldn't be there until later that night. They were working on some things for La Push. No one could really tell Brady and Collin apart, and they would be the youngest, and kept to themselves. Seth would be the one who was annoying and probably would ask too many questions. Leah would probably always be near Seth since she was his older sister, and she would be frowning all the time.

"I feel like I'm forgetting something, but I can't remember what it is," he said as we passed the 'Welcome to La Push' sign.

I looked outside "It looks like it might rain…" I said, worried about the fate of the barbecue.

Jacob laughed. "It always looks like it might rain here!"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, believe me I noticed. I just mean what will happen if it starts pouring during the barbecue?"

Jacob grinned at me knowingly. "Then, we improvise,"

I just raised an eyebrow in response.

"Just trust me, you crazy Texan. It won't rain," Jacob laughed again.

I made a face in mock shock. "Crazy Texan? I resent that, how dare you make fun of the Lone Star State. At least I know what the sun looks like." I crossed my arms.

He shook his head. "Crazy Texan," was all he said again. We turned into a drive way. I saw a large group of people sitting around a picnic table outside. "You ready?" he asked when we parked, the joking smile gone.

"I think so," I said, trying to appear confident.

Jacob saw right through me. "Don't be nervous. They'll love you. I should be the nervous one."

"Why?" I looked at him, confused.

"You'll find out in about three, two, one…"


	7. Chapter 6: Halo

A/N: I know, I'm awful! I always complained about authors who took forever to add a chapter..and look. I've become one of them. I'm sorry! This one is SUPER LONG and...some exciting, fun stuff happens, so hopefully that'll make up for it. THANK YOU TO ALL READERS/REVIEWERS etc. Let me know what you think of this chapter, I'm excited for you to read it. Oh, I own nothing...sad I know

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 6**

**_Halo- Beyonce_**

"Hey Shorty!" a voice said as my door opened. I looked up in time to see Quil smiling at me. Then, a small hand began pulling on my arm.

"Shorty, Shorty!" a small voice said happily. I looked down to see a little girl looking up at me with big brown eyes and a huge smile.

"Hi there," I smiled at the little girl and unbuckled my seatbelt. "What's your name?"

"Shorty, Shorty!" she laughed and clapped her hands. She was absolutely adorable, and I instantly liked her.

I got out of the car and the little girl grabbed my hand. I looked up at Quil who was looking down at the little girl. "No, your name isn't Shorty, Shorty," he said to the little girl.

"Shorty, Shorty!" she laughed again.

"No, tell Denae that your name is Claire," Quil said, his voice very patient as he beamed down at the girl.

"Claire, Claire!" she said.

"Nice to meet you Claire, I'm Denae." I said and crouched down to her level.

"No, Shorty, Shorty." She shook her head and reached out a finger to poke my forehead.

"Looks like you have a new nickname," a woman's voice said. I stood up to greet the person in front of me.

"I guess so," I said, as I looked at the woman in front of me. I was surprised to see that half of her face was very scarred. I blinked in shock. Three long scars went down the side of her face, causing her mouth to turn slightly downward. I know I probably looked surprised, but tried kept my smile and gaze steady, I'm sure whoever this was in front of me was probably used to weird looks, or people looking away, so I didn't change my gaze. I stuck out my hand, "Hi, I'm Denae Walters, aka Shorty Shorty."

The woman took my hand lightly. I saw that she was incredibly pretty and even though she was dressed simply and her hair was pulled back messily, I felt very below-average looking at that moment. The scars were horrible, yes; however it was obvious she was beautiful. She had a big smile on her face as she said, "I'm Emily Young; it's nice to meet you. I've heard so much about you."

"I'm not sure that's a good thing," I laughed, wondering what Jacob had been telling people about me.

"Oh, it is, trust me," she turned back towards the house. "I need to go run and check on some of the food, but I'd love to chat later!" she said.

"Do you need any help?" I offered, mentally kicking myself for offering to get involved in anything related to cooking. That would be a terrible first impression.

"Uh, nope I think I'm okay…" she said with a little laugh. I noticed she glanced at Jacob who was standing beside me. I realized Jacob had probably told her about the cookies, and I felt myself blush a little.

"Okay, well I'm sure it'll be great, Jacob's brought me some of your cooking before, and it's delicious!" I said.

"Thank you," Emily replied happily as she walked off.

"Come on Claire, lets introduce Shorty Shorty to everyone," Quil said, and picked Claire up and flipped her upside down. She squealed happily. Quil smiled and then set her on top of his shoulders.

"Shorty Shorty!" she laughed and pulled Quil's hair. Quil made a face like he was in pain but didn't say anything.

Jacob turned towards me as Quil walked towards the large group. "Sorry, I didn't warn you about Emily," he said quietly. "I just remembered that's the thing I forgot."

I shook my head. "Don't be sorry. She seems very nice, except I'm a little intimidated by how gorgeous she is. How is everyone in La Push so good looking? Now that is what you should have warned me about." I smiled up at him, suddenly shy by what my words implied, but hoping he would understand that I would rather just meet Emily without any kind of disclaimer. I wouldn't feel right if I had to be warned before I met her. There was nothing wrong with Emily, and if people couldn't see past the surface then it was their loss. From what Jacob had said before, I got the impression Emily was a very sweet and caring person.

He grinned down at me "It's a secret," he winked and I rolled my eyes. "It seems like Claire likes you." He commented.

I smiled "I like Claire too. It seems like Quil does also," I motioned my head to where Quil was standing with a group of guys, his face in a wince as Claire pulled his hair.

"Claire is Emily's niece and Quil sort of babysits her," Jacob said slowly. "They are close…"

"That's cool," I said. I found it very sweet how good he was with her; most guys his age didn't know the first thing about kids.

The group sitting around a small picnic table turned around and looked at us as we approached. I put a friendly smile on and tried to make eye contact with a few of the guys, trying to hide my surprise at how large every one of them was. They were probably all close to Jacob's height and were just as muscular. It was like they were a gang of huge, weight-lifting models. I felt very short, small and self conscious in that moment.

"Let me introduce you to everyone," Jacob said when we reached the table. "That's Seth, Collin, Jared, Kim, and Sam." He pointed at the individuals around the table. "Everyone, this is Denae Walters, my neighbor."

I gave a small wave. "Nice to meet y'all," I said.

"Wow, you were right Quil, she does talk funny," they guy I thought Jacob said was named Seth said.

"Seth!" Jacob said with a glare, confirming my thoughts.

I just smiled. "If you think I talk funny you should spend a few hours in Denton or Mesquite."

"It's great to meet you, Denae," said the one I remembered was Sam. "What can I get you to drink?"

"I'll take some water, please." I responded after shaking Sam's warm hand. I found it so strange that all of these guys not only looked similar, but had the same above normal temperature fever thing Jacob did.

"Okay, I'll go grab it for you," he said and headed for the house.

"Hey, Sam I'll take a—" Jacob began.

"I know what you want Jacob," Sam answered without turning around.

"So, Denae, you're from Texas, right?" the one I assumed was Jared said.

"Yep," I said.

"Please don't tell me you're a Cowboys' fan," he began.

I gave him a shocked look. "Now, what do you mean by that? You better not be putting down my Cowboys."

"Oh, I should have known!" Jared exclaimed.

That began a fun debate between the guys and myself about football. I didn't really follow it very much, but I knew enough to at least defend my team. Each of the guys chimed in at some point with something bad to say about the Cowboys, but I tried to keep up with them.

The banter back and forth ended when Emily called from the grill that the first round of hot dogs and hamburgers were ready. The guys rushed over to start grabbing for food, but Sam told them all to back off until Emily, Kim and I had gotten a plate. I looked around for Leah, the other girl Jacob had talked about, but didn't see her.

I ended up sitting next to Kim as I ate. She was quiet at first but after a little while of talking back and forth she began to open up. I found that she was incredibly intelligent and sweet, and that she really loved Jared. I could tell he loved her too. He kept checking on her, or glancing at her as we ate and when she spoke to him, I could tell that their connection was deep. I was surprised at the commitment I saw between them; Jacob had said everyone was around our age.

After a while, Kim, Jared, Seth and Collin had to leave. Not before the boys had eaten more hot dogs and hamburgers than I had ever seen in my life. I was really shocked after I watched Jacob eat three hamburgers and five hot dogs, as well as potato salad and numerous cookies, but I kept my mouth shut.

I started to help Emily clean up some of the empty plates and trash. I couldn't help but watch Emily and Sam interact. They looked at each other the same way Jared and Kim did. The only difference was Sam was intent on watching Emily's every move. It was as if he was constantly protecting her and shadowing her. I was just thinking to myself how that would be kind of irritating and how it'd remind me of how controlling Grant was. I knew it was totally different because I could tell Sam did it out of his love and dedication to Emily, and Grant was just a terrible person, but because of my past, I couldn't help but think that I wouldn't be able to stand that.

Emily slipped and fell and started laughing, but Sam rushed to her side before she could move. He wasn't laughing. Actually, he looked very concerned as he checked over her to make sure she was ok. I rolled my eyes a little and muttered, "You've got to be kidding me," to myself.

"Oh, don't tell me. You think that is the sweetest thing ever." An unfamiliar female voice said from behind me, causing me to turn around quickly, embarrassed that I had been caught talking to myself.

"Um, what?" I said, confused.

"The over-protective, hovering, concerned boyfriend thing. You're probably just eating that up, waiting for the day it happens to you." She crossed her arms.

I looked at her. She had a scowl on her face as she looked down at me. She was incredibly tall and looked very athletic. Her dark brown hair was cut short, and she had light brown eyes and smooth, tan skin. I realized this must be Leah, especially because she looked so much like Seth.

"No, not so much," I said and turned and picked up some more trash to try to get out of the conversation. From what Jacob said, Leah was usually pretty moody, and I didn't want to get on her bad side.

"What does that mean?" She asked and moved so she was standing in front of me.

"Um, I'm not waiting for the day I have an over-protective, hovering, concerned, boyfriend?" I said with a small shrug. "I guess it's not my thing." I tried to move past her.

She quickly moved in front of me, "You mean you don't look at that and wish you could have it?"

I blinked, unsure if this was a trick question or not. I couldn't decide, so I just chose to be honest. "Not really,"

"What does that mean?" she asked, again.

By this point I was starting to get irritated. She hadn't even introduced herself, yet we were having a conversation about what I wanted in a relationship. "It means that I don't think I'd like that very much. I like to take care of myself, so I'd probably see it as a little sickening." I blurted out and then realized what I said. "Wait-I don't mean that they are sickening, it just… well… I. Oh, man."

Leah's face had finally changed from a scowl, but now she was just looking at me with a blank expression. Then, suddenly, her mouth twitched into a small smile. "I'm Leah Clearwater," she stuck out her hand.

I stared at it for a second, very confused as to what was happening. Slowly, I shook her hand. "I'm Denae Walters." I paused. "I'm sorry if that offended you, I didn't mean it like that."

Leah's small, tight smile got a little bit bigger. "Don't be sorry. It is sickening. I can't stand it." She turned and looked pointedly at Sam, who was looking at us with an unreadable expression. I was pretty certain we were out of ear-shot, but he was still paying attention to our conversation. "You're not as bad as I thought you'd be, Denae." Leah said bluntly.

I was really confused by this point, so I just said what came to my mind first. "You're not either," I replied, then winced a little.

Leah let out a small laugh. Then she looked past me and said, "I told you I'd try Jacob. But, she's alright." Then she turned and walked to the grill and started grabbing food.

I turned and saw Jacob standing behind me with his face in his hands. Slowly he let his hands slide down his face, and he looked at me with a pained expression.

"What just happened?" I asked him, still unsure of what had taken place between Leah and I.

"I think I can explain it, but later." He said as he walked up next to me. "I'm so sorry,"

I shook my head, still trying to figure out the bizarre exchange. "Don't be sorry. I think it went well?" I tilted my head to the side, more asking Jacob, rather than stating it.

"Actually, believe it or not that was phenomenal," he said. His worried looked turned into a big smile. "Everyone likes you, even Leah. You're amazing."

I waved my hand. "Oh, please. I'm not the amazing one." I gave him a look to communicate that he was the one I thought was amazing.

"Actually, you are." He said and lightly touched my arm. It tingled where his fingertips touched my skin, and it made me want him to do it again. "Do you want to hang out some more?" he asked. I saw him bite his lip, and I couldn't help but feel my heart melt a little at the sight of big, huge Jacob being bashful.

"Yeah, if you do," I said looking down. Some of his shyness was rubbing off on me.

"Of course I do," he said quickly. "Let's say goodbye to everyone."

We said our goodbyes to everyone and headed back to the car. We got in and Jacob turned towards me. "How about a walk on First Beach? You can see some more of it since it's not totally dark yet."

"Sounds great!" I agreed. I was sure in the dusk, first beach would be beautiful.

When we arrived, we started walking down the shoreline. As Jacob explained Leah's behavior to me, I realized that it made sense. She had dated Sam for a while, but then Sam broke up with Leah for Emily. Jacob said it was hard to explain the connection between Emily and Sam, but I told him I could see it. Sam felt terrible about it, and Leah was still heartbroken. Apparently, Emily and Leah were related and Leah was still involved with everyone else in Jacob's group. It made for an awkward situation but it explained why Leah talked the way she did, and why my responses made her like me.

"Did you mean what you said to her?" Jacob asked me quietly after he told me Leah's story.

"What?" I asked. I hadn't realized Jacob had heard our conversation.

"About not wanting what Sam and Emily have," he asked as he picked up a branch and threw it into the water.

I sighed, trying to think of how to explain my thoughts without disclosing my past with Grant to Jacob. I was okay with him knowing about my family, but my past with Grant was something else. I was still healing from it. The way I was with Grant was so unlike me. I was so numb from Chase's death that I gave up control of my life, and Grant was more than happy to take it from me. If I hadn't been so broken, I wouldn't have let that happen, but I just felt as if my life were out of control.

"Of course I would like to have someone who was devoted to me, and it's obvious they love each other," I began slowly. "But, I'm pretty independent. I like to do things on my own, and sometimes I don't like asking for help."

"Like the ladder thing?" Jacob asked, seriously.

I smiled and laughed lightly. "Exactly. So I guess I just wouldn't like the over protective thing."

"Yeah, you're pretty stubborn,"

"I prefer independent," I answered.

"Well, you're definitely different than other girls," Jacob said and then turned towards me with a smile. "But, I think it's a good thing."

I looked away a blushed a little. I couldn't explain this connection I felt to Jacob. Ever since that first day he caught me I had always been drawn to him. We got along so well, and I was always amazed at how much our personalities complimented each other. I had been slowly trying to build a wall against the feelings I felt towards him, knowing that he wouldn't return them, and afraid that I felt them at all after what I had went through. But, I couldn't help it. Jacob just tore them down with one simple sentence or smile.

Jacob and I spent the rest of the evening talking about random things and when he dropped me off I ran up to my door like a high school girl on her first date. When I reached my porch I turned around. Jacob was standing at the driver side of his car looking at me. I felt myself blush in the darkness, and I was glad he was so far away. I turned back around and hurried inside my house after I gave him a small wave. I closed the door and leaned against it. I don't know what it was about Jacob Black, but he was making me break every rule I set for myself when I came to Forks, and it both thrilled me and scared me at the same time.

* * *

On Saturday, we had another volleyball game. Bobby had told me that this team was a little more experienced than the last team. Per rules of the bet, Ashley, Marie, and I showed up to the volleyball each in a pair of my spandex from when I played in school.

"It's actually pretty comfortable!" Marie said as we walked into the gym.

"Yeah, and then I look down and see how gigantic my thighs are!" Ashley groaned, pulling down the edge of the shorts. "Why did we agree to this?"

I laughed. "You look great Ashley; just don't even think about it. Plus, Tom can't keep his eyes off you." I whispered and winked.

Ashley looked across the gym where Tom was staring at her. He gave her thumbs up and I saw her shake her head and blush. "Dirty old man," she muttered.

Marie and I laughed as we set our stuff down. "So, are we gonna make a bet for this game?" Bobby asked as we reached where he was standing.

My competitive side got the best of me. "Of course!" I said.

At the same time Ashley and Marie said, "No, absolutely not."

Bobby laughed. "Fine, Denae and I will bet. Whoever gets the most spikes over has to treat the other one to dinner."

"You're on," I said, before realizing what I was really agreeing to.

Bobby walked off happily and Marie looked at me. "You realize you just agreed to a date with my brother, right?"

I bit my lip. "It's not a date, it's a bet."

"Whatever," Marie shrugged. "I wish you guys would date. You'd be an awesome sister in law."

I laughed. "Don't even think about it, Marie." I warned.

She rolled her eyes. "You have enough admirers, Denae. Just like that huge guy over there that is totally checking you out."

"What?" I asked as I looked up at her. I had started stretching out, and was currently bent over touching my toes. I started to turn to see who she was referring to when she stopped me.

"No, don't look!" she gasped, "Just wait a few seconds then sneak a glance. He's on the other side of the gym, right behind you. Act like you're still stretching! He has a Forks Bar and Grill shirt on, he's a fan of someone on the team."

I looked in between my legs as I touched the floor and my eyes widened in surprise. I saw an up-side down Jacob looking right at me where I was bent over in spandex. I stood up quickly and turned around. "Oh crap," I muttered.

Jacob rubbed the back of his neck as we both began walking towards each other. We met in the middle of the gym. My face was bright red with embarrassment. "Jacob!" I squeaked, "What are you doing here?"

"Um," He said, his cheeks a deep red. "I came to see you play. I hope you don't mind."

"No! Not at all!" I said thrilled that he was here. "How did you know?"

"Oh, the lady you work with told me. She got me this too," He turned around.

I felt my small smile widen dramatically when I read 'Fan of: Short Stuff' on the back of Jacob's shirt. I was filled with a giddy feeling from having a fan at the game, and from that fan being Jacob. I felt tears start to prickle in my eyes but I made myself stop.

"I have a fan!" I said happily as Jacob turned back around.

"Oh yeah, number one fan," he grinned down at me. "So, you're okay with me being here?"

I nodded excitedly. "Very okay. I'm happy you're here. I was the only one without a fan," I jerked my head to the large group sitting on bleachers that was dedicated to my team. I couldn't help the huge smile on my face.

Jacob's smile matched mine. "Good, I'm glad I made you happy."

"I feel like I should explain the outfit," I said suddenly, the blush creeping back. "The girls lost a bet last game, so we had to wear spandex." I shrugged and looked away.

"I see. They're very nice." My eyes jerked back to Jacob, and his eyes widened. "I mean, nice… for like official equipment and dress code and stuff," he said in a rushed voice, his face bright red. "That sounded inappropriate."

"It's all good," I replied, my face burning.

"Short Stuff!" I heard Rick yell. "It's go-time, come on!"

I waved at him to acknowledge that I was ready. "Well, I gotta go play."

"Good luck," Jacob said.

"Thanks," I smiled.

Jacob headed to the bleachers and I jogged over to my team. "Who's that guy?" Bobby asked as I joined the group.

"My neighbor," I shrugged, still feeling the happy, excited feeling I got from Jacob being at the game.

"Oh," Bobby said. "That's nice." He gave me a funny look.

We headed on to the court. As the game began, I started to feel self conscious since I knew Jacob was here. However, after my first dig, I was in the zone and ready to win. When I went up to serve I heard a familiar voice yell "Go, Denae!" I felt happiness course through my body, reacting to Jacob cheering me on.

The team we were playing actually was pretty good, and we ended up tied, 24-24. It was the game point, and the other team was serving. We had to get this point, or we lost.

The serve came over and I saw that it was heading right towards the middle of Ashley and Rick. Neither one moved to get it, so I ran up to save it. I slid on the floor, appreciating my knee pads, but giving myself a small floor burn on my each arms as I hit the ball up. Quickly, just like I had done in practice for years, I did a summersault and rolled into a standing position, just in time to see Bobby set the ball up. On instinct I moved in to position to spike. I stepped with my left then right then left and then jumped and spiked the ball down, right in front of the player across the net, standing still and unprepared.

The gym was slightly quieter; the opposite team was looking at me with a surprised look. My team was looking at me with a surprised look. The crowd and line judges were looking at me with a surprised look.

"Point Forks Bar and Grill," the referee said, finally. "And that's game."

Someone started clapping, and I looked over to see Jacob standing up happily clapping loudly. The rest of the crowd followed his example and started clapping and cheering. Suddenly, I was being picked up and spun around.

"That was amazing!" Bobby said as he sat me down.

"You're a ninja, Denae," Marie said. "A fricken ninja!"

"Way to go Short Stuff. That was impressive," Tom pulled my pony tail.

My heart was beating quickly and I felt pride for myself swell in my chest.

"I told you, you're the amazing one," I heard Jacob say from behind me. I turned around and smiled happily. "That was so cool!"

I laughed and shrugged. "I played in school,"

Jacob and I held eyes for a moment. He was looking down at me with admiration in his eyes, and I absolutely loved the feeling it gave me. I'm sure I stared up at him with a similar look. I was in awe of how happy he made me, and how he looked at me in a way no one ever had before.

Rick interrupted our stare. "You kids coming to the restaurant?"

"I'll be there," I said and then looked up at Jacob.

"I'll be there," he echoed my response.

We hung out with everyone at the restaurant for an hour or so, and then decided to head home. It had started raining, and I got out of my car, spotting Jacob's jacket he had let me borrow when we went rode his motorcycle to First Beach. I ran across the road as Jacob pulled in to his driveway.

"Hey," I said as he got out of his car, "I wanted to return your jacket." I kept it under my umbrella, so it stayed dry.

I stepped forward, as a gust of wind caught underneath my umbrella, jerking me to the side. I slipped on the concrete, and felt myself begin to fall towards Jacob. He reached out towards me, and one arm caught my waist. At the same time I flailed the arm holding my umbrella and hit him in the head.

Jacob stumbled backward, and I dropped my umbrella, as I stumbled with him. Finally, He landed on the ground on his back, and I landed on top of him.

Jacob was laughing, his whole body shaking, as rain poured down on both of us. I looked down in shock. Not sure what happened to cause me to land right on top of Jacob's warm body. I began to laugh too.

After a few moments, I realized I was probably crushing him, so I tried to wiggle and sit up, but Jacob's big hands were still firmly around my waist. I looked down at him, out of breath from laughing. My hair stuck to the sides of my face, and rain drops rolled off of my nose and landed on Jacob's face.

Without thinking, my hand moved and wiped the rain drop off of his face, which still held a big smile from laughing. Our eyes were locked on each other, and one of his hands came up and covered mine, where it was on his face. We were both still breathing hard, but our smiles had vanished. Now, we were both searching each other's eyes, trying to figure out if what was happening was okay.

I couldn't move. The way Jacob looked at me paralyzed me. His touch felt perfect as he slowly ran the hand that had captured mine on his face up my arm, and rested at the back of my neck. I felt myself swallow hard and moved my hand onto his shoulder. His hand moved again and traced my jaw line softly.

Slowly, in what felt like hours, Jacob lifted his head off of the ground. As his face neared mine, I only felt Jacob's touch, not the rain that was falling around us. I only saw Jacob's deep brown eyes which looked at me in a way that made me feel beautiful.

When Jacob's face was a fraction of an inch away from mine, he spoke in a whisper. "Please, tell me this is okay," he said. I could feel his warm breath on my face.

His tone triggered something in me, and I responded without my normal hesitation. "It's more than okay," I whispered back.

That's all Jacob needed. He closed the distance between us, and my eyes closed as his lips touched mine softly. The feeling I had at that moment was perfect. I felt like everything was the way it was supposed to be. I moved my head down, trying to make it so Jacob didn't have to strain so much to kiss me, and deepening the kiss.

We both moved in synchronization, like a well practiced dance. The hand on the back of my neck moved up to the back of my head, and the one on my waist moved to my hip. My hands moved and clutched the collar of his shirt.

Suddenly, Jacob pulled away. I popped open my eyes, looking down at him with a dazed expression. I was breathing heavily, but I felt great. I felt like being on the ground outside in the rain with Jacob was where I was supposed to be. Jacob's chest rose and fell as he breathed. Then he groaned. "You've gotta be kidding me,"

I looked down at him confused at his reaction to the kiss. "Sorry?" I said in a small voice.

"No, no." he said. He began to sit up and moved me effortlessly next to him. "That was…" he trailed off and tucked a strand of drenched hair behind my ear. "It was perfect. You are perfect."

I smiled, his words sending even more electric shocks through my body. "You took the words right out of my mouth,"

He smiled and then sighed. "Of course, an idiot has to come ruin perfection," he said and pointed towards the road.

Quil was standing outside of a car. I hadn't even heard it pull up. "Jacob, we need to go now. Sam needs us. It's urgent," Quil yelled.

I looked back at Jacob, concerned. "Is everything okay?"

He stood up, and pulled me up with him. "Probably, Sam is over dramatic sometimes," he leaned down and kissed my lips softly. "I have to go with him. I'm sorry. Can we talk about this tomorrow? We have a lot to talk about I think…"

I nodded, understanding there was probably an emergency in La Push. "That sounds great," I needed to be alone for a little while to process what had just happened.

Jacob walked me to my house and up my stairs. I turned to hand him his jacket, which had been smashed in between us when we fell, and was kept dry for the most part. Rain rolled down Jacob's face as he shook his head. "You keep it," he said.

"Okay," I said, "See you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," he said and then leaned in and kissed me again. I just about pulled him to me with plans of never letting go as I felt the electricity shoot through me again from Jacob's kiss. However, Quil began honking the horn of the car, so we separated.

Jacob sighed and then ran down the steps. "Goodnight, Denae."

"Be careful, Jacob," I said. I wasn't sure why I said it, but I just felt like it was appropriate. I turned and opened up my door. After I closed it behind me, I leaned against it again, my heart pounding with excitement. I was very optimistic. Maybe I could have an actual relationship. Maybe Jacob would be as perfect as he seemed. Maybe I could be normal.

I began doing a happy-dance, when I heard my phone ring. I ran to where it was sitting on the counter and answered it. "Hello," I said happily.

"Denae, why haven't you been answering?" Doc's panicked voice said.

"I-I've been out and I forgot my phone," I said, surprised by his tone.

"I've been trying to reach you for hours. Listen, I don't have much time to explain. But first I want to say I'm sorry, and I didn't want this but I don't see another choice." He said.

"What's going on, Doc?" I said, concern filling me.

"Someone has been asking questions about you around here, and about where you went," he said. "They said that Grant sent them to make sure you were okay. I haven't seen them, but some people at the diner told me,"

"What?" I gasped, Victoria's cruel smile flashing through my head. "Did they tell them anything?"

"Not that I know of," Doc said, "but it appears as if they were pretty serious about finding you and I'm sure Grant's doing more than just asking around about you," he paused. "Denae, we can't correspond anymore."

"What!" I said, an exclamation this time.

"We have to stop all contact with you; they could have easily tapped a line, or trace a call. I can block all of that, but only for a short amount of time," he sighed. "I don't want to do this, but you cannot talk to anyone in Denton any more until further notice."

"But-but I need to talk to you guys," I said, fear welling up inside of me. "I miss you guys so much, this is the only way I can-"

"I know, sweetheart, I know," Doc said, his voice strained. "This is the only way we can be sure you're safe. Now, get rid of the phone like I said, don't try to call us. Pay attention to your surroundings, if someone strange is hanging around, go to a pay phone and dial 343-555-0932. That's a contact I have set up. Leave a message under thirty seconds, and I will take care of the rest, do you understand me, Denae?"

I blinked. "Y-yes,"

"Okay good, be careful, we all love you, I have to go," and with that Doc hung up. I set the phone down on the counter, not sure what to think. I walked around and quickly locked all the doors. The feeling of loneliness began to creep inside of me. I talked to Doc, Martha or Jessilyn everyday on the phone, I didn't know what I'd do without them. Tears began to fall as I thought about not being able to talk to them.

I changed out of my wet clothes into dry pajamas and shivered. I saw Jacob's jacket sitting on the couch. I looked at it a moment, and then slipped it on. It was huge, of course. But it reminded me of Jacob. I took a few deep breaths. I wasn't totally alone, I told myself. I had Ja_cob. It wouldn't be easy, but I could make it. _


	8. Chapter 7: Over My Head

A/N: Well, here you go, another chapter!. Thanks to everyone who reviewed--you guys are great and I get so excited every time I get a new review. And to you shy ones who favorite me/this story or put it on alert you guys are great too! I've had a lot of people do that recently, and I'm so happy people are reading my story and enjoying it enough to want to keep reading it! Enjoy this chapter! I own nothing! :) Let me know what you think.

* * *

**THE CURE**

**_Chapter 7_**

**Over My Head (Cable Car)- The Fray.**

**_I never knew  
I never knew that everything was falling through  
That everyone I knew was waiting on a queue  
To turn and run when all I needed was the truth  
But that's how it's got to be  
It's coming down to nothing more than apathy  
I'd rather run the other way than stay and see  
The smoke and who's still standing when it clears_**

Blood red eyes pierced through me. I tried to run, but I couldn't. I tried to scream but I couldn't. I was paralyzed by the fear. I looked around at the dense forest around me. But, I only glanced; my eyes were instantly drawn back to the red ones staring at me. She had found me. Victoria was back for me. "He can't protect you now that he's dead," she snarled at me.

Her words confused me. I wasn't sure who she was referring to. I thought maybe she meant Chase. She killed Chase, so it made sense. But, Jacob's face kept popping into my mind. Either way, her words tore through me. "No," I whispered.

She lunged at me but stopped short when a loud snarl echoed through the dark woods. We both turned towards the sound, searching for the source. In the dim lighting I could just barely make out two eyes, and razor sharp teeth that gleamed in the moonlight. My gasp was drowned out by a growl from Victoria.

I could barely make out the face of some sort of dog, and from the way it sounded it was vicious. I knew I should be afraid of it, but for some reason it didn't scare me. I knew that I could trust it and not Victoria. It didn't make any sense, I should be afraid of them both, but I found comfort in knowing the dog was there, despite how it sounded.

Victoria responded with a snarl of her own. "Get out of here, dog." She growled. Then, she lunged in the direction of the animal. Instead of running, I felt the urge to protect the dog. My feet moved on their own, and I looked down. For some reason, in the middle of the woods a big, metal pipe lay on the ground. I didn't think about it, I picked it up and swung at Victoria. She turned around before I could hit her, and grabbed the pipe out of my hand. I heard a howl, and I realized that the dog was actually a wolf, but before I knew what had happened she hit me and I was flying through the air, just like the night in the cemetery. I let out a scream, waiting for the impact of the ground.

The next thing I knew, I was sitting up in my bed, screaming with tears streaming down my face. I took a couple deep breaths and looked around and I realized that I had been dreaming. I was still in panic mode, trying to figure out what had happened when I heard a wolf howl outside. It sounded so close to my house that I leaned forward on my bed to look out my window, but I didn't see anything outside.

I finally stopped crying and got my heart to stop racing. That must have been why I dreamed about a wolf, I was freaking out about Victoria and dreaming about her, and then my subconscious heard the wolf outside and it became part of my nightmare.

The rest of the night I tossed and turned, only dozing off for a few minutes at a time. Once more I heard the wolf's howl, and as I started to fall asleep again I couldn't help but think it sounded sad.

I worked that day, but I was a mess the whole time. I was so distracted. I dropped one customers drink, kept running into other people working, and didn't realize when people were talking to me. Ashley asked me several times if I was okay, and I kept telling her I was fine, but I was lying.

Know that I'd get to talk to Jacob at sometime today was the only thing that saved me. Once we talked I would feel more at ease, I told myself. When we could figure out what was going on in between us, I would feel better. If I could just hear him say that he was there, then I'd be okay.

I had talked myself into looking forward to talking with Jacob, sure that he felt the same way I did. I didn't know how he couldn't after that kiss. I sighed as I drove home, remembering how perfect it felt to be kissing Jacob. I knew that it was irrational of me to feel so strongly for him, but there was an unexplainable connection between us, and I was tired of fighting it.

When I got home, it was before the time Jacob usually returned from work, so I took a shower and picked up around the house. I stood at the window until it was thirty minutes past when Jacob usually got home.

An hour later, and the drive-way was still empty. I decided to make myself something to eat. I sat in the living room, where I could see if he was coming down the road.

Three hours later, I pulled a chair up in front of the window. I was very disappointed, but I told myself that something was probably happening in La Push that required Jacob to stay over there later than normal.

I woke at midnight from where I fell asleep in the chair. I pulled aside the curtain, as I saw Jacob's tail lights turn off in his drive way. I stood and watched as he got out of his car. I saw him turn, and I let the curtain drop and hid behind it, just barely peaking out the window. In the moonlight I could see him standing next to his car, looking over at my house. He walked to the end of his drive way and then stopped.

My heart picked up, excited that he was heading this way, not caring about what time it was. However, it dropped as I watched Jacob stand there, then run his hand through his shaggy hair. He shook his head and then turned around quickly, and jogged back inside the house.

I sat down in the chair again, confused. Jacob had said yesterday that we would talk about the kiss today. And he had headed this way. I didn't understand why he didn't come all the way over. I went and crawled into bed, on the verge of tears. I took several deep breaths and told myself to think rationally. It was midnight, Jacob probably figured I was asleep, and that's why. He probably got tied up in La Push. I wiped a few tears away and took another deep breath. Tomorrow, he'd come talk to me, I decided.

I didn't see Jacob at all the next day. The day after that, I watched his tired-looking figure walk into his house late at night. Not a single light came on inside, and I went to bed, once again feeling rejected.

The next day I had another volleyball game. I searched the crowd before we began playing, upset that I didn't see Jacob's huge frame. The game began, and I missed two serves that fell right in front of me, because I was so upset.

"It's okay, Shorty, you'll get the next one!" I heard a voice from the crowd yell.

"Shorty Shorty!" I heard a smaller voice yell. I turned and looked. Quil was sitting in the bleachers, waving happily at me with a smiling Claire on his lap. To his left Embry, Jared, and Kim were sitting there. All of them had blue Forks Bar and Grill shirts on. I watched as Jared turned around and pointed to where the back of his shirt said 'Fan of: Short-Stuff.'

I smiled, happy that I at least had a few people here to support me, but still slightly upset that Jacob wasn't with them. I tried to shake it off and get my head into the game. I played better, but I was still slightly off. We won again, and as the team and crowd cheered, I just smiled. I was happy, but I couldn't fully enjoy it without Jacob there.

The group from La Push came up to me after the game. "Shorty Shorty win!" Claire yelled and hugged my knees.

"You're pretty good, Shorty." Quil said.

"I agree, it was impressive," Jared added.

"Thanks guys. And thanks for coming! How did you know?" I tried to smile happily at them.

They all glanced at each other. "Jacob told us about it," Quil said slowly.

I nodded. I wasn't sure if I should say anything about what happened, but I couldn't help it. "Oh, how is Jacob? I haven't seen him in a few days." I tried to keep my voice neutral, but I'm sure I didn't do a very good job.

The guilty looks on everyone's face gave it away that they all knew this. "He's alright," Quil began. "We've had some stuff going on in La Push with the tribe that he's been helping out with."

"Yeah, he's just been busy," Embry said and gave me a small smile.

Kim patted my arm. "We have to go, great job Denae. You're very talented."

"Thanks, Kim. Thanks guys for coming out, I appreciate it," I said with a big smile.

After the group left, I let my smile drop as I gathered up my stuff. "You coming to the restaurant?" Bobby asked me.

"Oh, no I'm kind of tired. I think I'm going to head home," I answered with a small smile.

"Is everything okay?" he asked and leaned in. "You can tell me if not,"

"I'm fine," I waved him off. "Just sleepy. See ya Bobby, great job tonight."

"You too Short Stuff, see you," he waved.

I climbed into bed and cried myself to sleep that night.

The rest of that week I only caught glimpses of Jacob. One day he was home at about eight at night. I somehow found some courage and marched myself over to Jacob's house. Before I even got all the way up the stairs, the front door opened.

"Hi," I said softly.

Jacob opened the door all the way. I raised my eyebrows in surprise. He looked awful. His hair was disheveled, his clothes were wrinkled, and he looked like he hadn't slept in days. His eyes were bloodshot and he had dark circles underneath them. The stubble on his face told me he probably hadn't shaved in a couple days.

"Denae," Jacob looked at me. His eyes looked so sad.

"Um, I just wanted to see you," I said, and looked down at my feet. The pained look in his eyes made me sad. "I know you've been really busy, but I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine," he answered quickly.

I looked up at him. "A-are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," he answered. Suddenly, he stood up a little bit straighter. His face looked like his was thinking deeply. He sighed, and then set his jaw line in determination. "Is that all you needed?"

I was speechless. He sounded irritated. When I finally found my tongue I said, "Well, I thought maybe we could talk. About what happened…" I trailed off.

"We kissed," he said. "That was it. There's not much more to talk about. I don't have time for any of this. I'm busy. School will be starting soon, and soon Mr. Richardson will be moving back, and I'll be moving back in with my dad, and you won't see me anymore."

My eyes widened as I took in his words. I felt tears begin to fill them. "Oh," I said softly.

"Look, I'm sorry if you thought there was more to it, but it was just a kiss," he paused.

I didn't let him finish. Hurt and anger were competing inside of me and anger is what ended up winning. "Well, I won't waste any more of your time then." I replied and turned and walked down the steps. When I got to the bottom I turned around. "So sorry to bother you. Believe me, it won't happen again." I couldn't help the hot, angry tears that slid down my face. "You won't have to ever see me again, Jacob. I was stupid to think that you actually thought I was so amazing. I was dumb to believe you enjoyed spending time with me." I turned around and began walking to my house.

"Denae," Jacob called after me. I stopped but didn't turn around, the tears falling freely now.

"Don't Jacob." I said. "Just, don't." I walked quickly to my house and ran inside and closed the door. I slid down it into a sitting position, tears falling quickly as I sobbed into my hands.

I was alone, again. I felt worse than when I first came to Forks. I was alone and hurt. I couldn't believe Jacob had the nerve to say that kiss meant nothing. But more than that, I couldn't believe how much it hurt hearing him say that.

Oh top of all of this, Victoria hadn't forgotten about me. She was looking for me, and she wanted me as part of her vampire army. I pulled my up off the floor and went around and checked all the locks. I rubbed the scar on my shoulder and felt the panic began to grow inside of me. The night that she attacked me came back and I ran to the bathroom and threw up. The memories had started to fade when I was happy and hanging out with Jacob, but now that I was alone once again, it was like it just happened.

Two weeks passed. I went through the routine in a comatose state. I only slept an hour or two a night. Sometimes I went a day or two without washing my hair. My tips at the restaurant were terrible because I wasn't being friendly with my tables, and our team lost a game because I was so out of it. Embry, Quil, Jared, Kim, and even Leah came to my games and cheered for me, but they never mentioned Jacob's name, and I stopped asking. I was glad to have their support, but they reminded me of Jacob and it just made me even lonelier.

I had decided at some point that I wouldn't blame my depressed state on Jacob anymore. It began to bother me that I had let a guy affect me the way Jacob did. I should have known better than to trust anyone. But, as much as I tried to convince myself that Jacob didn't mean anything to me, in the back of my mind I knew that I was happy when he was here, and sad when he was gone. And, I missed him.

One day, when I was getting off work I walked out to my car. I saw Jacob's Rabbit sitting across the street at the post office. I froze as I watched him exit the building. He instantly looked right at me, like he knew I was standing there. We looked at each other for a few moments, but my anger from before came back, and I turned and tried to walk to my car. I wasn't paying attention, and ended up walking straight into Bobby.

I looked up. "Oh, sorry Bobby. I didn't see you there. What's up?"

"Not much," he responded. "Visiting the family."

"That's nice," I responded.

"Yeah, actually I came here looking for you," he said with a big smile.

"Oh really?" I asked, distracted because I could still see Jacob across the street from the corner of my eye.

"Yeah, I wanted to pay off my debt," he said, drawing my attention back to the conversation.

"What?" I asked.

"You had more spikes than I did, so I owe you dinner per rules of our bet a few weeks ago."

"Oh, no Bobby. I don't know about that," I began.

He sighed. "Just as friends okay? I can tell something is going on right now, and I know you probably aren't looking to date, but I'll wait until you are ready." He looked down. "You should know by now that I really like you."

"Bobby…" I began, feeling bad that I was going to have to turn him down.

"No, no just listen. Even if you never feel that way too, that's okay. I understand." He paused, and I stayed silent, letting him talk. "I just, I consider you a friend, and I can tell something is wrong, and you're hurting." He touched my arm lightly. I wanted to move away, but I didn't. "And, as a friend, I want to try to cheer you up. I want the old Denae back. You know, the one who wasn't afraid to spike a ball into your face and then make you instantly forgive her with her smile. I know you haven't been around here for a very long time but we all care about you. Rick, Marie, Ashley, Tom, Barb, all of us."

I sighed. "Okay," I began.

I was cut off by another voice. "Denae,"

I turned and saw Jacob towering over me. My eyes widened. "Jacob, what are you doing?"

Jacob's gaze left mine and he looked around, like he didn't know where he was. "Uh, I just wanted to uh, well. Make sure he wasn't bothering you." He jerked his head to where Bobby was standing with a surprised look on his face.

"No, he isn't. You, however, are." I snapped. It was harsh, but I wasn't the type of person to instantly forgive someone after they hurt my feelings. When I get hurt, I react in anger to hide the pain.

Jacob's face changed and was full of pain. He looked even worse than when I saw him last week. He was quiet for a moment and then he nodded. "Alright, I understand." He sighed. "I'm moving back to La Push today," he said "Mr. Richardson will be back tomorrow." He crossed his arms, and the pained look on his face was gone. He now held an unreadable expression that held no hint of the happy youthful look I was accustomed to.

"Okay," I said simply.

"Okay," he echoed me. Then he looked at Bobby. "You do anything to hurt her or make her uncomfortable, or anything and I'll kill you." His voice was very serious. In between his tone and the look on his face, I was scared. This wasn't a side of Jacob that I had ever seen before.

"Jacob!" I exclaimed.

He just turned around and jogged across the street. I turned to Bobby who was blinking in surprise. "I am so sorry Bobby!" I said, feeling awful for dragging him into this.

"Um, it's okay…" he said. "I won't ask, but that was weird."

I sighed. "It kind of is," I agreed. "I was going to say that we can go out to dinner, as friends." I tried to give him and enthusiastic smile.

Bobby's face lit up. "Great! I'll pick you up at 6!" He said happily.

"Oh, you want to go tonight?" I asked, surprised.

"If you're not busy," he responded.

I thought for a moment. I knew I wouldn't be busy, so I nodded. "Okay, see you at 6."

I gave Bobby directions to my house and then drove home. When I got there, a truck was in Jacob's driveway. I kept my head down as I walked into my house. I went straight to the shower, so I didn't have to worry about resisting the urge to stand by the window and watch out for a glimpse of Jacob. I was still fuming from his actions earlier today.

When Bobby picked me up at 6, the truck was gone. I tried very hard to pay attention to what Bobby was saying, but my mind kept wandering back to the incident today. The pained look Jacob gave me kept flashing in my mind, and I felt compelled to do whatever it took to make it go away forever. But, I didn't know what would fix it, and I was too stubborn to let myself ever get involved with Jacob Black again.

"And, I just couldn't help but start cracking up! It was hilarious!" Bobby's laughter brought me back to the present. I smiled and him and tried to give a small laugh, but I had no idea what he was saying. "I guess it was one of those 'you have to be there things'." Bobby shrugged.

I nodded. "Yeah, but it still seems pretty funny," I tried to act as if I had heard the story.

I looked down and realized I had only taken a few bites of my meal. I wasn't really hungry, but Bobby was paying for it, so I felt bad for not eating. I took a big bite as Bobby began to talk again. "Can you believe we only have two more games left?"

I shook my head "No, it's crazy. When does it start back up again?"

"After a few months, I'm not too sure," he shrugged. "We'll still hang out right, when we're not playing ball?"

I smiled a little at Bobby. "Sure, of course we will,"

He gave me a big smile "Awesome!"

The rest of the meal passed with Bobby talking about random things and me trying to make the appropriate responses. After Bobby dropped me off I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep, so I decided to go to First Beach in La Push to think. I knew it'd remind me of Jacob, but he was who I was going to think about anyways.

When I got to the beach I found the spot where Jacob and I had sat and looked at the water. I brought my legs up and sat my chin on them, my mind going in a million different directions. Fear and panic about Victoria danced with anger, confusion, and hurt over Jacob. I sat looking out at the water and just let myself cry.

"You need to leave," a voice broke me out of my thoughts. I jumped and turned towards it.

"Jacob?" I said, as I saw him walk towards me.

"You can't be out here. You need to go home, Denae." He said sternly, looking around frantically. "You need to go now."

My eyes narrowed. "What, are you kicking me out of La Push, Jacob?" I crossed my arms. "I can be here, why don't you leave."

"Denae, please. Don't argue with me about this." He said tiredly. "And, please don't cry."

"Jacob. Honestly, who do you think you are?" I said, standing up. "You kissed me, and then didn't talk to me for days. Then, when I finally talk to you, you act like its nothing, and say you don't want anything to do with me. Then, you threaten Bobby, and now you're kicking me out of La Push." I stomped my foot, probably looking like a child. "What is wrong with me, Jacob? Tell me, what is so wrong with me that you have to hurt me like this?" My voice quivered.

Jacob buried his face in his hands, his whole frame shaking. "Denae, you have no idea how hard this is for me," his muffled voice said.

"No, I think I do because it's ten times harder for me," I said, the tears flowing faster now. "What's wrong with me?" I asked him again.

"Nothing is wrong with you," he said, and dropped his hands. When I looked at him, it looked like he was crying, but he turned before I could be sure. "Nothing at all. But, you can't be here. You have to leave." He was shaking almost uncontrollably. I just stood there and looked at him, hurt and confused.

Suddenly, two figures appeared at the parking lot. "Jacob!" one voice said.

I recognized Sam and Leah as they ran towards us. "Leah, drive Denae home, I'll take care of Jacob." Sam said.

Leah nodded and then grabbed my arm gently. I watched as Sam started pulling on Jacob and then turned around and walked to my car with Leah. She didn't say a word, but climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine. I didn't even need to tell her where to go, she knew exactly where I lived, and the ride was silent besides my sniffles.

When we got to my house, Leah shut off the car and turned towards me. "He's wrong," she said.

"What?" I asked.

"Jacob," she responded. "What he's doing is wrong," I stayed quiet as I looked at her. "I don't understand how he can do this to you, but he's wrong. Trust me, he'll see it."

"I don't care," I said, my voice thick from crying. "I don't want anything to do with him. It's stupid for me to be this upset anyways."

She sighed. "You're lying. You'll forgive him, and if you only knew how much sense it makes for you to feel the way you do because of…" she stopped and opened her mouth like she was going to continue but didn't. "I can't explain it. But just know that there is nothing wrong with you, Denae. I know it's hard not to think that something must be wrong with you, but there isn't. Trust me."

Then, she got out of the car, and I did the same. "How will you get home?"

"Here's Jared." She pointed as the same truck that was in Jacob's drive way pulled up. "Listen, it really isn't safe for you to be outside by yourself. There are…bears in the woods and they get pretty bad this time of year." She put a hand on my arm, and I was surprised at how hot she was, too. "Please, promise me you'll stay out of the woods, and stay inside as much as possible."

I just nodded in response.

"Okay, I'll see you around," she said, and then walked quickly to where Jared was waiting.

I walked inside my house and sat down on my couch and tried to figure out when I had allowed myself to grow so attached to Jacob, and what I did to deserve all of this. But Leah's words came back to me, and left me even more confused. I went to the medicine cabinet and found some night-time cold medicine. I didn't even measure it, I just took several big sips from the bottle, and went to bed. Several minutes later, I felt the medicine take effect and I fell into a dreamless sleep.


	9. Chapter 8: Your Guardian Angel

A/N: Here we go! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! I get so excited whenever I get an email telling me I have a new review! You guys are the best. Let me know what you think of this chapter. Remember: I own nothing! Also the song Your Guardian Angel by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is a BEAUTIFUL song, you should absolutely check it out!I put the the full lyrics at the end of the story.

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 8**

**_Your Guardian Angel—Red Jumpsuit Apparatu_s**

_I will never let you fall  
I'll stand up with you forever  
I'll be there for you through it all  
Even if saving you sends me to Heaven_

I woke up the next day feeling like I had been run over by a train. Light was streaming in my window, and I blinked as the bright rays hit my eyes. I sat up slowly, and squinted at the clock. It was 2pm. My eyes were puffy and hurt from crying all night long, and my throat hurt, too. I was still exhausted, even though I had slept for over twelve hours.

As I shuffled my way to the shower, the events from the day before started coming back and I felt even worse than when I first woke up. I wasn't paying attention and stubbed my toe on the door frame of the bathroom, crying out as I hopped on one foot. It appeared as if this wasn't going to be my day. I was already late. I had an hour before I needed to be at work, and I had to run by the store and grab a pre-paid phone that couldn't be traced. I still needed to have a contact phone in case they needed me at work, so I figured a pre-paid phone would be safe.

I rushed through my shower, getting soap in my eye, irritating it and making it bloodshot. Then, I found that my hair dryer, for whatever reason wasn't going to work. I let out a frustrated growl as I tried to towel dry and fix my wet hair. I quickly finished up getting ready and ran out of the door.

When I finally got to the store, I had to stand in line for a lot longer than I wanted to, waiting on an elderly lady in front of me as she argued with a cashier. I ended up being five minutes late to work, grumbling to myself as I pulled into the parking lot.

"I'm so sorry, Rick. I had to go by the store and…" I said in an exasperated voice as I pushed hair out of my face and tied my apron around my waist hastily.

"It's no problem," Rick said as he gave me a friendly smile. "You're never late, you're a great employee, and sometimes we all have those days." He shrugged. "No worries."

"Thanks," I said as I finally got my apron tied. I once again, pushed my hair out of my face, wishing I had been able to properly do it earlier, so it wasn't such a hassle now.

I walked into the dining room and saw that there were no tables being seated, so I went to the bar area and began cleaning up there.

"Well now, aren't you just pretty?" a gruff voice said from behind me.

I turned around and saw a guy in his mid-30's grinning at me.

I decided not to comment, and avoided his gaze as I finished what I was doing.

"Aren't you going to answer me, sweetheart?" the guy said.

I continued to ignore the man. He had obviously had quite a bit to drink, and was intent on getting my attention. The little things that had gone wrong during the day had added up and put me in a bad mood, so I didn't even attempt to deal with it.

"Oh, I see. You're a good girl, playing hard to get. Isn't that cute?" he said with a chuckle that made my blood boil. I wanted to turn around and show him exactly how cute I could be as I punched him in the face, but I decided my employment was more important. I began to leave the bar area when he grabbed my arm. "Where you going sweet thing? Aren't you going to keep me company?"

I jerked my arm out of his grasp. "I'm sorry, sir. I have some work to do."

"Call me Miles, honey," he said, and reached for my arm again, as I took a step back and he missed, the smell of liquor filling the air around him.

"Miles, is it?" I responded, then turned to the bartender. "Tony, do me a favor and make sure Miles here doesn't have any more to drink. We don't want him to do anything he'll regret." I gave Miles a pointed look, hoping to convey an attitude that would make him leave me alone.

"Good to see you've got some spunk, honey." He said and leaned into me. His stale breath filled the air around me, and made me sick to my stomach. "I like that in a girl."

"Miles, back off," Tony said, his deep booming voice commanding attention from a few other patrons at the bar. I used the distraction to walk away quickly, hoping that he was too drunk to care.

The night dragged on and we had very little business. The creepy guy at the bar, Miles, kept his gaze on me all night long. I kept telling myself it was just my imagination. He finally left a few minutes before ten. On his way out the door, he stopped me in the back hallway where we weren't visible to the dining room as I was walking out of the stock room.

"Sweetie, why don't you give me your phone number?" he grabbed my elbow and held on to it tightly.

I tried to pull away from him, but he had a tight grip on me that was beginning to hurt. "No, I'm not going to do that, please let go of me," I said in an even voice, avoiding his gaze. I usually can take care of myself, however the way Grant treated me was still fresh in my mind, and I was wary of most males, especially when they wanted to hurt me. I began reverting to the way I acted with Grant, and I got very scared and nervous and didn't fight.

"Oh, sugar. That's a bad idea." I held back a gag as his face leaned in close to mine.

Marie's voice echoed down the hallway. "Denae!" she called, "Where are you? Rick wants you!"

Miles let go of me quickly. "Have a goodnight, Denae." He said with a sneer, as he stumbled down the hall.

I took a second to get my composure together and walked into the dining room in time to see Miles walk out the door. He pulled down his red baseball cap over his black hair and glanced back into the window at me with a wink.

I quickly went and found Rick. "Hey, what did you need?" I asked him.

"We're pretty slow, did you want to go home a little early, whenever your tables finish up?" he asked as he put some numbers into a calculator.

"Yeah, that'd be fine," I said with a little relief. After the afternoon and night I had, I was ready to go home, drink some more cold medicine and go to sleep.

"Okay when they're done you can head out," he said with a smile. "And, if you need anything, just let us know." He patted my shoulder lightly.

"Thanks, Rick." I said.

"No problem, we need you rested up for the games tomorrow. We play back to back." He winked at me.

I just nodded in response. My tables finished up about thirty minutes later, and after getting the okay from Rick, I grabbed my stuff and headed out the door. I got into my car with a sigh of relief after glancing around the parking lot nervously, expecting to see Miles hanging around.

I leaned back in the seat of my car, closed my eyes and sighed. I stayed like for a few moments, and then leaned forward to turn on my car. I turned the key and nothing happened. I waited a moment and tried again. Nothing happened. I groaned as I kept trying over and over to start my car.

"Perfect," I muttered to myself as I got out of the car and popped the hood. I slammed the door shut as I realized it had begun to start raining a little. I opened up the hood and tried to see what was wrong. I knew a little about cars, but nothing too in depth. I couldn't help but think if Jacob was still talking to me I could call him and he could help me out. I growled angrily to myself as I slammed the hood shut.

I tried a few more times to start the car, and nothing happened. I knew I should probably go back inside and wait until Marie or one of the other employees got off and get a ride home with them, but I hated asking for help. My independent, stubborn side got the best of me and I grabbed my purse and began the four mile walk home. I was fuming as I walked out of the parking lot.

I kept turning around as I walked down the side walk, thinking that I heard someone behind me, but never seeing anything. When I got to the outskirts of town, and out of the glare of the street lights I became overly paranoid of every sound and shadow. I heard definite footsteps behind me, and picked my pace. The footsteps picked up pace as well. My heart began racing with fear as my head tried to tell it to calm down and that I was over reacting.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw a figure walking behind me. "Hi, Denae," The voice said with a laugh. "Fancy meetin' you here." The slurred words indicated it was Miles, and my body began pumping adrenaline as I realized how dangerous the situation could be.

I didn't respond, but instead turned around and began to run. I heard Miles running behind me. I glanced behind my shoulder again, and saw he was getting closer. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and tripped on a huge crack in the sidewalk and fell forward, scraping the palms of my hands and probably bruising my knees.

I scrambled to get up, but the fall had allowed Miles to catch up. He pulled me up and to him hard and I froze in fear. He was breathing hard and the look on his face scared me.

"I said I like spunk, but now you're just pissing me off," he said angrily.

My breath came out in short spurts as I panicked. I looked around to see if anyone was near. I didn't see anyone but I opened my mouth and let out a scream anyways.

Miles' hand came up and clamped over my mouth and he pushed me up against the wall of an abandoned building. "Shut. Up." He said in a threatening voice. He fumbled around inside his coat pocket for a moment and then held up a knife where I could see it. "I'm going to take my hand off your mouth. No one will hear you scream. If you do, I won't have an issue using this and making it very painful." He put the knife to my throat as my eyes widened with fear. I let out a strangled sound behind his hand as he made a small cut on the side of my neck, drawing blood. "But, if you are a good girl and do what I say, I'll make it quick." I felt blood drip from the cut and trickle down my neck. Tears came to my eyes. "Do you understand?"

I didn't move besides closing my eyes tight as memories of my past with Grant came back. I was quickly brought out of them as Miles removed his hand from my mouth and hit me across the face. I held the side of my face in pain as he pushed me back up against the wall. My cheek was stinging with pain, and the cut on my neck was even worse. I started to cry as he yelled at me. "Answer me!"

The only noise that came out of me was a small whimper. I felt so helpless in that moment, that I started to just give up.

"Good girl," he said. He placed a hand low on my hip. The hand holding the knife stayed where it was at my neck. I could feel the blade against my neck and I closed my eyes in fear. When he started to move his hand up underneath my shirt I opened my eyes, squirmed and tried to move away.

"Don't move!" he yelled and raised his hand to hit me again. I closed my eyes again waiting for him to hit me; his actions reminding me so much of what I went through with Grant. I knew I should fight, I knew I should scream, I knew I should struggle but I couldn't. When I did those things with Grant, his abuse was even worse because no one where there to hear me. Even though I knew now Miles would probably kill me either way, I couldn't put up a fight.

Suddenly a loud voice came from behind us. "Don't touch her,"

My eyes popped open. I couldn't see who was talking but I saw Miles turn his head and his eyes widen. His knife slipped and dug into the flesh on my neck. As Miles was pulled off of me I let out a sound in pain from where blood was coming from the new wound on my neck. My legs gave out on me, and I fell to the ground as the pain from the cut intensified.

I looked up and saw a huge figure standing over where Miles was laying on the ground. I instantly recognized it as Jacob as he leaned down and grabbed Miles' shirt and pulled him up.

"J-Jacob!" I called out, my voice sounding rough as I held back a sob.

Jacob's head spun around, he was still holding Miles by his shirt, his feet dangling off the ground.

"Denae," he said, his voice strangled. Then he turned towards Miles. "I'll kill you." The threat in Jacob's voice was real. His whole body shook, a lot like it did the night before at La Push.

"Denae, Denae! Oh my gosh!" another voice gasped and I looked up and saw Rick running up to us. I noticed a car pulled on the side of the road, still running with the driver's door opened.

"Rick!" I said, my voice still not sounding like my own.

Rick crouched down. "Are you okay?" he looked at me. "You're bleeding!" He turned to Jacob. "Jacob, the police are on their way to take care of Miles, put him down, okay?"

Jacob was still glaring at Miles who was crying like a child and trying to pull away from Jacob.  
"He. Hurt. Her." Jacob said in between clenched teeth.

"I know, I want to kill the bastard too," Rick said. "But we need to let the police handle it."

Jacob didn't move, and his shaking got worse. "Jacob, please." I said "Listen to Rick. He's right." I watched as Jacob took several deep breaths. The sound of a police siren came from behind us. "Please, Jacob." I said again, as I struggled to stand up.

Jacob dropped Miles who fell into a heap on the ground as the police officer pulled up and jogged over to us. Jacob came over to me and helped me stand, pulling me into his arms. I closed my eyes as his warmth enveloped me. I allowed myself to relax as I leaned into his embrace. His arms tightened around me. We didn't speak.

"Hello, Charlie." I heard Rick say.

Jacob loosened his arms as he turned towards the police officer.

"Jacob Black, what are you doing here?" the officer asked. I peeked from behind Jacob's arm as another officer pulled Miles up from where he was still curled up in a ball on the ground and put him in hand cuffs.

"Hey, Charlie," Jacob sighed. "Denae is my…" he paused. "I know Denae," he responded.

The officer nodded slowly. "I see," he turned to the officer behind him. "Put him in the car, let me talk to them real quick and then we'll take him in." he turned back towards us. "Denae, I'm Charlie Swan, police chief." He stuck out his hand.

I pulled away from Jacob and shook Chief Swan's hand, staying quiet.

"Do you want us to call you an ambulance?" he asked.

I shook my head quickly, not wanting to go to the hospital. "No, I'm alright." I said quickly.

"Denae, you should go to the doctor," Rick said in a fatherly tone.

"I don't want to, I'm fine." I said.

"Okay," Chief Swan said. "You've been through a lot tonight, but I think it's pretty cut and dry. If you want I'll get a quick statement from you and Jacob, then Rick can help me finish up, and Jacob can take you home."

"Okay," I agreed, glad this wouldn't be a long process.

As Chief Swan asked me questions, I told him about Miles' behavior at the bar, and why I was walking, and what happened when he caught up with me. I had to stop for a moment as I started crying again. "I'm sorry, Chief Swan." I said.

"Call me Charlie, everyone else does," he said with a smile. "And, don't worry. Just keep going whenever you're ready."

Rick and Jacob were standing away from us, talking quietly. Jacob turned around and looked at me quickly. His short, simple gaze empowering me a little bit as I felt butterflies in my stomach rather than fear for once since everything had happened. I turned back to Charlie, and quickly told him what happened.

When Charlie was talking to Jacob, I noticed that they seemed as if they knew each other very well, and at one point, Charlie gave Jacob a short, quick hug and patted him on the back.

"My car is just down the road at the restaurant," Jacob said as he and Charlie walked over to where Rick and I were standing. "I'll go get it and take Denae home." Rick and Charlie nodded in agreement and Jacob jogged back towards town. I instantly missed his presence. I felt safe when he was around.

"How did you know?" I asked Rick.

"One of the regulars said he saw you walking out of town as he was driving in, and then said he saw someone walking behind you in a ball cap. I just got an awful feeling that something bad had happened." He shook his head. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner."

"Did you tell Jacob?" I asked, looking away for a moment.

"No, I don't know how he got here." Rick shrugged.

I nodded. Charlie came over to us. "Denae, I know you didn't want me to call an ambulance, but I'm going to have them look you over real fast and clean up your cuts, is that alright?"

I sighed as an ambulance pulled up. "I guess,"

It only took the paramedics a few moments to clean up and check out the cuts on my neck and the small cut on my face. "It should heal pretty quick sweetie," the paramedic said, her smile comforting.

"Thanks," I said softly.

"Take good care of your girlfriend now, make sure she gets lots of rest tonight," she said. I looked up to where Jacob was standing a few feet away, looking intently at me.

I opened my mouth to tell her that Jacob wasn't my boyfriend, but Jacob started talking.

"I will. What can she take for pain?" he looked away from me briefly as he asked the question, then his intense gaze was back on me, making me look away.

"Ibuprofen will probably be best," she said and then stood up. I followed suit. "Alright honey, let him pamper you okay?"

I just nodded quietly in response.

Rick walked over and gave me a hug. "Be careful kiddo, let me know if you need anything. Don't worry about coming in tomorrow morning."

"Thanks, Rick." I responded quietly.

Charlie turned towards me. "Let Jacob take care of you tonight, Denae." He instructed. "He's a good kid."

"O-okay," I said in response. I said goodbye to Rick as Jacob wrapped an arm around my waist. I moved my head to look at him and let out a little gasp as the movement caused the cuts on my neck to throb in pain.

"You're in pain. Do you want me to see if I can get some medicine from her?" He turned back towards where the paramedic was talking to Charlie.

"I-I'm okay," I lied as fresh tears came to my eyes.

"You're lying," Jacob said. He gently wiped away the tears that had fallen.

"I'm going to get your car all bloody," I said as I looked down at my blood-stained shirt.

"It's okay, just get in," he said. I shook my head in protest. Jacob sighed and then took off his shirt. He pulled it over my head. "There. Now get in."

I sighed and got in the car as Jacob closed the door behind me. He jogged around to his door, and got in. We were silent as we drove home. I could feel our emotions mixed with the tension between us fill the car. When we pulled up to my house I turned to Jacob. "Thank you for the ride, and thanks for saving me tonight." I looked down at my hands. I wanted to ask how he knew where I was. Or, why he even came. Or, why he even cared what happened to me.

Jacob didn't say anything. He looked out his window and took several deep breaths. I assumed this meant he was done talking to me, and I felt my heart drop. Tears blurred my vision as I struggled to unbuckle. Jacob reached over and gently pushed my hands away, unbuckling my seatbelt for me. A tear escaped from my eye and landed on his hand.

Embarrassed that he had caught me crying, I quickly tried to get out of his car, and get inside of my house so I could escape the torture of being rejected once again by Jacob. I was exhausted and emotionally a complete mess from the events of the day. I just wanted to go inside, clean up, and curl up into a ball, go to sleep and never wake up.

I struggled to get my house unlocked when Jacob's warm hand covered my own. He took the keys out of my hand and quickly and easily unlocked the door. I looked up at him, as he looked down at me with another unreadable expression on his face. Gently, he put a hand on my back and led me inside the house, turning on a light.

"Thanks," I mumbled quietly, embarrassed and frustrated.

"Go get changed and I'll get some medicine and an ice pack ready for you," he instructed and turned around to the counter.

"I can do it," I said stubbornly. "I can take care of myself." I felt myself lift my chin, daring Jacob to disagree.

He took the challenge. "Well you didn't do a very good job at that tonight, did you?" His voice held something different in it that caught me off guard.

I blinked in surprise. "Excuse me?" I said in shock.

"He was going to kill you," Jacob said, his voice rough. I wished he would turn around so I could see his face and understand what the emotion I heard in his voice was. "What were you thinking?" he sounded angry. His voice sent a small tremble through me. The harsh, angry implication against my worn out emotional composure was not a good thing. I began to feel a little bit of panic as I watched his fists clench. The muscles in his back tensed up.

"I-I-I'm sorry," I stuttered, trying to process what was happening.

Jacob banged a fist against the counter, making me jump. I went back to a time when I was with Grant, at his house.

"What were you thinking?!" Grant yelled at me angrily, as I tried to fix the burnt meal in front of me.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly as the tone in Grant's voice made me involuntarily shake.

"Damn it, Denae!" he yelled and I winced as he hit me again and again and again.

"Don't apologize!" Jacob's words partially drew me out of the flashback, but somehow my emotions were still stuck. I felt the way I did that night at Grant's as he hit me for burning dinner, again. Fear, panic, and self preservation flared inside of me as Jacob spun around. "Damn it, Denae!" he threw his arms up, and for a split second he wasn't wonderful, beautiful, safe Jacob. He was the monster, Grant.

I took a step back and tripped and fell to the ground "Please don't hit me," I cried and covered my head with my hands as I relived the nightmare of my life several months ago. "Please don't hit me again. I'm sorry, Grant. I'll fix it, please don't hit me," I sobbed as I covered my head, waiting for Grant's blow. "Please Grant, don't hit me."

I felt a hand on my arm; it's warmth familiar. However, I flinched away from it, expecting something painful to follow. I kept my eyes squeezed shut as I cried on the floor. The pain in my body and lingering fear triggered an instinct in me. This was a situation I had been in time and time again.

I cried uncontrollably as memories began to assault my weakened composure. I wasn't even thinking clearly, I just cried. I heard a voice talking to me in a calm, caring tone, but I couldn't focus on what the voice was saying. Gently, two hands pried my arms from where they were still covering my head. And then, I was surrounded by warmth.

I don't know how long I cried, but a gentle hand rubbed my back and slowly the tears began to stop. When they finally stopped coming I was exhausted.

I looked up and saw Jacob looking down at me. His face held so many emotions that I couldn't place. "I'm—" I began.

"Shhh," Jacob's voice filled my ears. It was all I heard. I was amazed how it enveloped me and instilled a sense of security in me. "Don't say you're sorry. I'm here with you right now, and I won't let anyone or anything ever hurt you again." Jacob's voice cracked.

I stared up at Jacob. "I'm safe?" I whispered.

"You're safe," Jacob whispered back.

I leaned my head on Jacob's chest. "A-are you going to leave now," I asked. I was afraid to know the answer, but I couldn't help but ask.

"I'm so sorry, Denae," he murmured as he buried his head in my hair. "I promise I'll explain when I can. It was so stupid of me to ignore me like I did. I lied, that kiss meant the world to me." He paused. "But I'm not going to get into all that tonight. You need rest."

I moved my head to look up at him. I studied his face for a moment and then looked away. "I don't know why, but I forgive you," I tried to give him a weak smile. His face looked so sad, I couldn't help but believe him. I'm sure him saving me had something to do with it, but for some reason I felt that when I was in pain, Jacob was too. And, I wanted to make sure he was never in pain.

Tears fell from Jacob's eyes as he smiled back at me "I don't know why you do either," he took a deep breath. "but I'm so happy you do." He shifted a little. "Let's get you cleaned up, and in bed. You're exhausted. Eventually we both have a lot to talk about." He said as he stood up, not even struggling one bit as he carried me to my room. He set me down on my bed. "I'll be back, you get changed."

I nodded. I threw away my bloody clothes and put on some sweatpants and a t-shirt. I washed my face and looked in the mirror at the small cut on my face and the growing bruise around it.

Jacob knocked lightly on my door. "Come in," I said.

He opened the door slowly. "Here's some medicine," he said.

I quickly took the pills and drank the water he gave me.

"Okay, time for bed." He said and picked me up again, setting me down in bed, and pulling up the covers. My eyes closed as he pushed the hair out of my face and rubbed a thumb over one of my hands.

When he stopped I opened my eyes. I reached out and grabbed his hand, just before it was out of reach. "Where are you going?" I asked a twinge of fear building inside of me at the thought of being alone in my house.

"To sleep on the couch," Jacob responded gently.

"Oh," I said, but still held on to Jacob's hand. "C-can you stay in here with me?" I asked and looked down, embarrassed. "I just don't want to be in here alone tonight."

I waited for Jacob to say no. I looked up after several moments passed. "Of course, as long as you are totally okay with it," Jacob said softly and leaned over and kissed the top of my head.

I nodded in response, but didn't speak.

That night I slept soundly in the comfort of Jacob's strong arms and comforting heat. I fell asleep as he whispered to me. "I'll never leave. I'll always be here for you. You'll always find safety with me. I won't let anything happen to you. I knew something was telling me to go to Forks, I should have found you earlier. But no one will ever hurt you again." He paused. "I'm such an idiot for what I did. I'm so lucky, though. I'm so glad I found my one true love." My brain was so clouded from the night's events; I didn't process what he was saying. However, five words stuck out to me like they were written in neon lights in my brain.

_Go to Forks. Safety. Love. _

They were the words that were stuck in my head after I was attacked. The words I thought were from God.

I muttered back to Jacob, "My guardian angel,"

"Yes," Jacob said softly. His voice comforting me and making me relax. His light touch on my arms gave me hope. "Your guardian angel."

* * *

When I see your smile  
Tears run down my face  
I can't replace  
And now that I'm stronger I've figured out

How this world turns cold  
And breaks through my soul  
And I know, I'll find deep inside me  
I can be the one

I will never let you fall  
I'll stand up with you forever  
I'll be there for you through it all  
Even if saving you sends me to Heaven

It's okay, it's okay, it's okay

Seasons are changing and waves are crashing  
And stars are falling all for us  
Days grow longer and nights grow shorter  
I can show you, I'll be the one

I will never let you fall  
I'll stand up with you forever  
I'll be there for you through it all  
Even if saving you sends me to Heaven

'Cause you're my, you're my, my  
My true love, my whole heart  
Please don't throw that away

'Cause I'm here for you  
Please don't walk away  
And please tell me, you'll stay, stay

Use me as you will  
Pull my strings just for a thrill  
And I know, I'll be okay  
Though my skies are turning gray

I will never let you fall  
I'll stand up with you forever  
I'll be there for you through it all  
Even if saving you sends me to Heaven

I will never let you fall  
I'll stand up with you forever  
I'll be there for you through it all  
Even if saving you sends me to Heaven

I will never let you fall  
I'll stand up with you forever


	10. Chapter 9: Avalanche

A/N: Yes, I realize I'm a little late with an update. But, here you go. This chapter is exciting! Or, at least I think so (maybe I'm biased). I hope you enjoy it though, let me know what you think! Thanks to everyone who is reading this story and to all the lovely reviewers! I love hearing your feedback! I own nothing.

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**THE CURE**

**Chapter 9**

**Avalanche-David Cook**

_These scars we wear remind us  
The more we change  
The more we're all the same  
Swept up in this emotion  
We fumble through and make the same mistakes  
Cause' we are led  
To the edge_

Carry me down  
Roll it in your arms  
I can't remember  
Ever falling this hard  
Tell me tonight  
All that we have been  
Was it nothin' more  
Than a noise inside my head  
Crashing down, crashing down,  
In your avalanche  
Crashing down, crashing down

_"I'll be right back, I promise," a soothing voice whispered to me._

I opened my eyes to see Jacob's face smiling down on me. "What?" I asked, confused and trying to figure out what was going on.

"Its noon," he said, his tone soft and caring. "But I'm sure you can sleep more. I can tell you are exhausted. I'm going to go see if I can fix your car, but I'll be back before too long."

"You…you don't have to," I said, my voice sounded drowsy as I struggled to keep my eyes open.

"I'm going to," he said with a small smile. "I'll be back okay?"

"Okay," I said and let my eyes drift close again. When I felt the warmth of Jacob's presence leave I opened them again. "Jacob?" I asked my mind a little bit sharper after a few moments had passed.

"Yeah?" he turned around in my doorway with a concerned look on his face.

"Thanks for saving me and thanks for staying," my voice was still hoarse but I tried to communicate how sincerely I appreciated him.

A big smile that warmed my heart was my reward for my sincerity. "Don't thank me. In fact, I should be thanking you for not kicking me out for how I acted." His smile fell.

I let out a yawn, I didn't want to think anything negative at the moment, and I was too tired to deal with any kind of emotions. "We have a lot to talk about. But not now, okay? I really just want to sleep." My eyes drooped shut again. I struggled to open them so I could look at Jacob and make sure he understood.

"Okay," he said, his voice lulling me back to sleep. "You just sleep, and whenever you're up for it, we'll talk. I don't care how long it takes. I've never fell for someone as hard as I have fallen for you, Denae. I've just gotten swept up in your avalanche, and I'm not going to fight it anymore."

"Ava-avalanches kill people," I said, my exhaustion not comprehending his words, or apparently filtering my own thoughts.

Jacob's soft laugh sounded closer and my eyes fluttered open. He had moved and was back to standing in front of me. "Yeah, I guess they do, but that's not what I meant," he paused. "I'll explain it all somehow." He kissed my forehead and my eyes shut and a smile formed on my face as I fell asleep.

*****

Loud banging awoke me an hour later. I sat up drowsily, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and accidently bumping the swollen cut on my face. "Ouch," I said as I touched the tender skin.

The banging started up again, and I realized it was someone knocking on the door. I groaned and got out of bed, stretching. I looked in the mirror and almost gasped as I realized how awful I looked. I tried to smooth my hair as I yelled, "Hang on!"

Apparently whoever was at the front door didn't hear me because the banging continued. "What the heck," I grumbled to myself as I opened the door a crack, still a little cautious from the night's events. Two big brown eyes stared back at me. I pulled the rest of the door open to reveal a girl with very pale skin, bright red cheeks, brown hair and brown eyes. She was chewing on her bottom lip and she looked at me, surprised. "Can I…help you?" I asked.

"Uh, is Jake here?" she asked so softly, I almost had to have her repeat it.

"Jacob? Jacob Black?" I asked. My mind still foggy from the twelve hours of sleep she interrupted.

She nodded and her whole face turned bright red.

"Uh, no." I said. "Who are you?" I didn't mean to come off blunt, I was just curious.

"B-Bella Swan," she stuttered.

"Like, Chief Swan?" I asked, remembering the man I met last night, and even furthering my confusion.

She nodded, still chewing on her lip. "That's my dad,"

"Is this about what happened last night?" I asked, curious about why Chief Swan's timid, bright red, daughter would be looking for Jacob at my house.

"You know about that? Jacob told you?" She asked with wide eyes. "You must know all if it then, since you're an imprint. Is that why you're at his house?"

"I'm a what?" I asked, confused by the term. "No, this is my house, I'm Denae Walters." I said and then paused. I looked past her and saw that Jacob's car was still sitting in my drive way. Things stated to click. "Oh, I get it. You think Jacob lives here."

She just stared at me, not responding in any ways besides raising her eyebrows. I was getting kind of frustrated with this shy, quiet girl. I did better with more outgoing, talkative people and I wished she would just tell me what she wanted.

"Well, he used to house sit for Mr. Richardson across the road, until a few days ago. He's uh, he's helping me out with some car troubles, and I guess he didn't take his car. I can see why you'd think he was here. He'll be back in a little bit, if you want to hang around." I offered with a shrug. Even though I didn't know her, it looked like it could rain, as it always did, and I didn't want her to just stand around outside waiting for him.

She closed her eyes. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" she said and her voice starting to rise in pitch as she panicked. "I-I-I didn't, I didn't know. I-I. Just tell him B-Bella came by. Wait, no don't. Well, don't lie. So you can, but tell him it wasn't important, I'm just one of his best friends," her eyes shot up to me when I raised an eyebrow in question. I hadn't ever heard Bella's name mentioned before. "I mean, not best, but just like regular friends, nothing else but friends," she paused and took a huge breath. "I'm so sorry," she turned to walk down the steps and almost fell, but caught herself.

"Hey, hey. Are you okay?" I took a step towards her as she pulled herself up straight.

"Yes!" she squeaked, her bottom lip one again in between her teeth. "I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry about it, Bella." I tried to say in a friendly voice, even though I wasn't sure how I felt about her friendship with Jacob, since he hadn't ever told me about it. I stopped those thoughts immediately, because I didn't know what Jacob and I were at the moment, so that didn't give me any right to lay claim on him. I couldn't help but wonder if this clumsy, stuttering girl had ever kissed Jacob in the rain like I had. My jealous side was fueled by this thought.

She looked up at me and gave me a grimace. "It's nice to meet you, Denae!" she said as she hurried to her old, beat up red truck and stumbled again.

I heard a car come down the road, and I looked to see Jacob, driving my car, pulling into the drive way. I couldn't help but break out into a small smile to see that he had returned. He got out of the car, and his eyes traveled to me first. "Denae, are you okay?" he asked.

I leaned against the porch railing. "I'm fine," I replied. "You have a visitor."

I motioned to Bella, and Jacob moved his gaze away from me. "What are you doing here, Bells?" he asked. His tone was friendly, but I could tell he wasn't sure how he should react. The use of a nickname flared the jealousy in me for a moment, but I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down.

"To-to talk about some, some things," she looked up at me, her face turning red once again. I smiled to myself, she was definitely entertaining.

"I don't know if right now is the best time. Where's the lee…" he paused. "Where's Edward?" he glanced up at me and gave me a small, supportive smile.

"Hunting," she said as she stared at Jacob. "Can we just talk, really fast?" Her eyes got all wide again and I had the urge to roll my eyes but, I kept my face neutral.

Jacob looked at me. "I don't think…"

"Go ahead," I said and stood straight. "I need to take a shower and stuff anyways. Go talk, I'll try to cook some pizzas later, and then we can talk." I tried to keep my tone casual, but I was very nervous about the impending talk with Jacob.

Jacob jogged up the steps and stood in front of me. "Are you sure you're okay? Are you sore? How are your cuts? That bruise looks bad, let's put some ice on it."

I waved him away with my hand. "I've got it, Jacob. I'm fine, seriously. I've had worse." The words slipped out and I looked up at him quickly, hoping he didn't catch it.

He closed his eyes and slowly let out a breath. He opened them and tried to give me a smile, but I could tell it was forced. "I'll stay, I really…"

"Jacob, go! I need to take a shower anyways." I said and gave him a little push.

He didn't budge. Instead, he leaned down and hugged me. "I'll be back soon. Your car is good to go, by the way. That creep messed with it, but I was able to fix it pretty easily."

"Thank you," I said back. Then, I don't know what came over me, maybe it was the immature jealousy I felt, but I stood on my tip-toes and kissed him on the lips quickly. I glanced at Bella and we caught eyes. She turned red, once again, and turned her head the other way.

Jacob's face turned into a half-smirk. "She's just a friend," he said with amusement.

"So am I technically," I said, stubbornly. I was embarrassed Jacob knew what I was doing, but rather than stutter and trip over my own feet like Bella, I got defensive when I was embarrassed

"You know you're more than…" he began.

"Shh," I said, interrupting him. "Not now, remember, we'll talk." Then I gave him a smile. "Don't worry about me."

"You know I will," he said with a grin as he headed down the steps towards Bella. "Don't leave the house!" he said, as I turned to go inside.

I waved my hand as I heard his car start up and drive off. I went inside feeling a mixture of annoyance and gratitude towards Bella. Part of me was mad she took away from mine and Jacob's time to talk, and the other part of me was glad she did. I was nervous about Jacob's reaction to everything.

I took my time in the shower, letting the warm water sooth my sore muscles and opening up my mind. I knew I needed to be honest with Jacob, but I didn't know if I should tell him about the vampire thing. He'd never believe me. No one would believe that a crazy, red-headed vampire was out there forming an army of newborn vampires, to track down some poor girl in back in Denton, and wanted me to be a part of that newborn army because I'd have some sort of special power. I groaned as I realized how crazy that sounded. That was the stuff for movies and books, not real life. No one around here would get it.

I dried myself off and decided not to bandage my neck. They looked like they were healing okay, and I didn't like trying to rip the adhesive off of my skin when I changed them. I did my hair and put on a little bit of make up to cover the bruise so maybe Jacob wouldn't worry about it so much, then headed to the living room in time to hear my phone ring. I picked it up quickly.

"Hello?" I said.

"Denae! It's Marie!" a perky voice said over the phone.

I smiled. "Hey! How did the games go?" I asked, her call reminding me of the two volleyball games I missed today.

"They got rescheduled," she said. "There's been some stuff going on in Seattle, and people aren't supposed to be out and everything. We're probably not in any trouble here, but it's bad up there I guess, so they're being cautious. Plus, when people heard about what happened to you…" she trailed off.

I closed my eyes as flashbacks of Miles' attack came back. I took a deep breath to calm myself. "What's going on in Seattle?" I asked, I hadn't looked at the newspaper or watched television in a few days.

"A bunch of murders," Marie said, and I could tell that she was happy to share the gossip. "People are going missing and stuff. They think it could be a gang, or just one really good mass murderer. They have no clues or anything."

Something about the situation seemed off to me. "Woah, I hadn't heard about that. That's crazy!"

"Yeah!" she said "So, they decided to wait to see what happened with that before we play the last games. They aren't really wanting people to travel much or anything, and some people do come from Port Angeles or Seattle to see the games."

"Well, I guess that works out okay for us, so I can be there for them!" I said, trying to be optimistic, even though the news still bothered me. It seemed like something was really wrong, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was.

"Yeah! And we can win!" she said in what I called her cheerleader voice. "Hey, I really just called to make sure you were okay, and to see if you needed anything. We have the rest of your shifts covered for the week, so you can just take it easy and then start back on Monday."

I sighed in relief, I didn't really want to go back to work. I needed another day or two to just relax and work things out with Jacob. "No, I'm doing okay. Jacob's been helping me out…" I trailed off.

"Ohhh, really?" she said and I could tell she was interested. "Uh, hang on, Bobby wants to talk to you."

"Denae?" the voice on the other end suddenly changed.

"Hey, Bobby," I greeted.

"Oh, Denae. I'm glad you're okay. Do you need anything? Do you need me to come over?" he said quickly.

I laughed lightly. "I'm just fine. Thanks for your concern though, I appreciate it."

"Okay, well don't think you have to go through this alone. I'm here for you…I mean we're all here for you." He said.

"I know you guys are, and I appreciate it. Jacob's been hanging around and helping me out so I'm doing okay." I said hesitantly. I wasn't sure how Bobby felt about Jacob, even thought it was apparent that Jacob didn't like Bobby.

Silence came from the other end for a moment. "Oh. Well, if he even thinks about pulling that crap again.." Bobby's voice sounded angry.

I sighed, "Don't worry. He won't. We're going to talk everything over." I said. "Thanks for worrying about me Bobby, I really am grateful for you guys."

I heard him sigh. "Yeah, that's what friends are for." His tone implied more than he was saying, but I ignored it.

"Yeah," I responded. "I better let you go. Tell Marie I said bye, and say hi to everyone else for me."

"Okay," he agreed. "And Denae?"

"Yeah, Bobby?"

"Be careful out there,"

"I will," I said and then hung up to phone.

I sighed and sat down on the couch, closing my eyes for a moment, letting the events of the past few days sink in. I was so ready for everything to just go back to normal. Well, I realized, my life has never been normal, but I was ready for everything to just calm down.

A knock at the door brought me out of my thoughts. I stood up and lightly ran to the door. I was confused as to why Jacob wouldn't just come in like he usually did.

I opened the door to reveal a man who was not Jacob Black. I blinked as I took in his flawless, pale face. His lips were in a tight line, and his eyes were an odd bright gold color. I instantly noticed how weird they were and then realized that he was glaring at me. His bronze hair was styled in one of those 'messy-on-purpose' hair styles that led me to believe he probably used more hair products than I did. I had to admit, if he hadn't of been giving me a death glare, he'd be gorgeous. Even though his flawless features, and trendy clothes made him incredibly attractive, I couldn't help but see how he paled, literally, in comparison to Jacob. Jacob's smooth tan skin, deep brown eyes and 'messy-on-accident' hair popped in to my head as I considered how much more attractive he was than the guy in front of me.

He made a noise that sounded like a snarl. I widened my eyes in surprise. "Can I…help…" I began to ask for the second time in an hour.

"Where is he," he hissed in between clenched teeth. "Where did he take Bella?"

My eyebrows came together in confusion. What did this guy have to do with the clumsy, awkward Bella? Another snarl came from him.

"What?" I asked, beginning to get a little scared.

He took a deep breath and then took a step back. "Where is Jacob Black? And where did he go with Bella?"

I blinked. "I don't know," I answered. I just knew that they had left in Jacob's car. I had no idea who this guy was, so there was no way I was going to tell him anything.

"Where are they?" he asked, his angry tone back. My heart sped up as adrenaline kicked in. There was something familiar about this guy, and my gut instinct told me I should be afraid of him. It didn't help that he was snarling at me and glaring.

"I don't know," I said again, putting on my most determined face, and glaring back at him. I started to back into the house, ready to slam the door in his face and call the cops. He reached out and grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the house, the screen door slamming behind me. I gasped at his touch. It was ice cold. Just like…

My eyes widened as I took in his pale, perfect features once again. His hand felt just like Victoria's, and he has the same unnatural pale skin. His eyes weren't red, but they definitely weren't a natural color. As I said that they started to turn to black, and his grip got tighter.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT VICTORIA?" he yelled at me.

My jaw dropped as I looked at him, I didn't say that out loud. How did he know I was thinking about Victoria? Then, I realized he must have one of those enhanced vampire skills. Victoria had said one of the ones in the coven that was protecting the girl could read minds, this one probably could too. I realized that she had probably sent him. I began to panic as I realized she had found me.

His grip got tighter on my wrist and I cried out in pain. "How do you know about that? Where is Bella? What did you do to her?"

I couldn't form a coherent thought or sentence, random parts of the attack from Victoria flashed back in my mind. "L-let go of me," I finally stammered out. "You're hurting me, let go."

His eyes narrowed even more. They had turned a dark black color, and another snarl came from him. "Tell me," he pushed me up against the house. Suddenly, he let go of my wrist and he whipped around and faced the yard.

I was breathing hard, and my heart was beating frantically. I tried to think of what to do, how I could escape. The vampire turned back around "Don't even think about it. I'll find you in an instant, if you could even get away."

Jacob's car pulled up on the side of the road, and I watched in horror as Jacob jumped out and ran with unbelievable speed on to the yard. "Get away from her!" Jacob's voice was even more deadly than when he had been talking to Miles the night before.

"Edward! Jake! Please, don't!" Bella cried as she caught up to where Jacob was standing. She stood in front of him and placed a hand on his arm. He shrugged her off, but his eyes never left where the vampire was crouched in front of me. He was shaking uncontrollably, as I had seen him do before.

My mind raced to figure out what I could do to protect Bella and Jacob. They didn't need to be hurt, or killed because of me. It was my fault the vampire was in Forks anyway. I realized he could probably hear my thoughts, so I thought it again, specifically directing it towards him. _Just let them go. If you just pretend to leave, I will go with you. I promise. But please, please don't hurt them_. I begged with the monster in front of me, hoping he could hear what I was thinking._ I know what you want from me, and I'll give it to you, just don't hurt them._

The vampire spun around and looked at me intensely. "What do you know?" His ice cold touch was on my arm again, and it reminded me of the bite on my shoulder I got that night of the attack. I struggled to breathe as I relived that moment, the burn I felt, and the resulting scar.

His arm darted up quickly, and he moved my shirt out of the way to look at the scar. I knew it'd hurt when he bit me, just like it did that night, but this time there wouldn't be an angel there to save me. "You've been bitten before?" he asked, as he gave me an incredulous look.

"Jacob! No!" Bella's scream made both us turn back towards yard. Jacob was shaking worse than I had ever seen. In a moment, the vampire jumped off the porch and was in front of Bella, crouched and snarling at Jacob.

I opened my mouth to try to say something, anything that would get that vampire away from Jacob and Bella, they didn't know anything about this crazy, supernatural world I was caught up in, and I didn't want them to get hurt. But, I wasn't able to say anything. My jaw dropped as the scene played out in front of me.

"Jacob?" I whispered. Two deep brown eyes that I could recognize anywhere looked back at me, and were the last thing I saw before everything came crashing down on me, just like an avalanche, I thought to myself. Everything faded to black.


	11. Chapter 10: Conspiracy

A/N: Hello everybody! I want to apologize for the delay. I rewrote this chapter so many times that I lost count because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it. But, I think I'm happy with it, and hopefully you will be to. Once again--thanks to the reviewers. You are marvelous! I don't own anything Twilight-related. It all belongs to Stephanie Meyer. Let me know what you think about this chapter!

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**THE CURE**

**Chapter 10**

**_Conspiracy-Paramore_**

_Please speak softly, for they will hear us  
And they'll find out why we don't trust them  
Speak up, dear, cause I cannot hear you  
I need to know why we don't trust them_

Explain to me this conspiracy against me  
And tell me how I've lost my power

"Are you alright?" I asked as I walked into my living room with two cups of hot chocolate. I was met with a small smile and a nod.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Even though, I should be the one asking you that."

I sat the two mugs on the coffee table and then collapsed onto the couch with a sigh. "Well, it's probably better that you don't, because I'm not sure I'd know how to answer."

I looked over at Bella Swan and considered what an unbelievable situation I was in. I thought I was the only human to know about the crazy fantasy world that most people considered to be just legends. Bella was another human who was in on that world with me, and I was glad I wasn't alone any more. I had started to think I was going crazy, but after talking to Bella, I realized I only knew a tiny bit of the big picture. I felt a bond with Bella, because we were in similar situations.

Right before I lost consciousness I had watched with equal parts awe and terror as Jacob's shaking became uncontrollable. The vampire (who I was trying to remember to refer to as Edward out of politeness to Bella) had jumped in front of Bella and an instant later Jacob's clothes began ripping to shreds. Almost before I could blink, his body seemed to explode and then suddenly there was a large brown wolf standing in his place. A terrifying growl came from his chest, and his ears were back as he snarled at the vampire…or rather, Edward. I whispered Jacob's name, and the wolf looked at me with the same deep brown eyes that were so familiar to me. I just felt the pressure of the past few weeks hit me all at once, and I couldn't take it. I passed out.

When everything faded to black, something strange happened. I really can't explain how, or why, it happened, but part of me wished it didn't.

Have you ever watched a horror movie where one of the characters goes snooping into a dark room, right where you know the killer is lurking? The camera angles, the lighting, the music all tell you that that person is done for. As they creep into the room you are shouting from your sofa 'No! Turn around! Don't go in there! You're going to die!' Then you realize, no matter what you yell, they can't hear you and they're doomed.

_"Most humans are afraid to be in a cemetery after dark." The voice sent a shudder through me. "You never know what monsters might be lurking around."_

Somehow, when I lost consciousness I had a flashback of the night Victoria attacked me in the cemetery. I already knew what was going to happen, but I couldn't change anything. As I relived the attack from Victoria, it was like I was watching myself from afar.

_"Uh, I was just leaving," I turned to walk off._

_The woman grabbed my arm. "No, you weren't."_

_I looked up and couldn't help the little gasp I gave. It was Victoria, the woman who had been working with Grant. "Wait, why are you…"_

_"Grant wanted me to get rid of you. Kill you. You were going to try to escape today apparently…" She tossed her long, red hair and smiled. "And, I was just fine with that. I didn't have any issues killing your brother so Grant could to get to you…"_

_"What?" I tried to pull my arm out of her grasp, but her grip was literally like stone._

_"The car accident your brother was in was just a cover up. It was very easy for me to kill him as a favor for Grant. He didn't like how protective your brother was." She laughed and the noise made my anger flare. This woman killed my brother and was laughing about it. I moved my hand to hit her, but she caught my other arm before I had it half way up. "Oh, you'll learn soon how stupid that was to even try. You see, I'm not weak and human like you. I'm a vampire."_

_"What?" I said again, thinking my confusion and anger were causing me to misunderstand her._

_She dropped my arms and I turned quickly to run away. I was short at 5'1'', but I played sports throughout school and there was a good chance I could out run her. In a blur she was in front of me. "I am a vampire, stupid girl. I can run faster, hit harder, see better, smell better, think quicker than you can even imagine." She ran around me before I could even blink to demonstrate her point. "Red eyes should have been a dead give away... But enough of this, Grant wanted me to kill you, but the Volturi are paying him a visit right about now, and honestly, he's probably dead. You see humans aren't supposed to know about us, and Grant knows a lot about us._

_"He actually gave me this brilliant idea. You see, there is this human girl protected by a coven of vampires. They killed the only man I loved, for an insignificant human, and so I'm going to kill her. But, they are very talented. So, I'm creating a bit of an army, and you've just been drafted."_

_I took a step back. "You're crazy. This is impossible."_

_Victoria let out a growl that sounded animalistic. Everything about her reminded me of a predator; her stance, her eyes, her movements. I had such a hard time believing what she was saying was true, but I didn't know how to explain her appearance, speed, or the instinctual terror that was building in me each second._

_"Don't interrupt. I want to get this all out now, before it becomes difficult to control you. I'm building an army of newborn vampires because they are stronger, faster, and more vicious than older vampires. Now, this coven that is protecting the human has some talent amongst them. They have one who can read minds, one who can see the future, and one of the largest vampires I have ever seen. They also have one who can feel and manipulate others emotions. Grant informed me that he actually used to train newborn armies back during the 1800s. Before he was a vampire, though, his personality was very similar to yours, very good with people, which is why you are so important. I'm hoping when I turn you, you'll develop a similar talent and can use it to train my army."_

_"No, this is a dream. I'll wake up…"_

_Victoria let out a snarl. "This is not a dream!"_

Every time I had relived this moment before, I couldn't remember what happened next. But, when I passed out earlier today after I met Bella and her vampire, the memory came back, crystal clear. I knew exactly what else had happened that night, and it kept a constant feeling of panic in my chest.

"_No, this isn't real!" My voice cracked with fear. I looked wildly around the cemetery for help. "Vampires don't exist. You're crazy!"_

_Victoria let out an impatient huff and grabbed my arm again. I began kicking and pulling away from her violently, but she didn't even flinch. I could see she was getting more and more frustrated. "After I turn you, you'll see just how real this is. How ironic, your mortal life will end right where your mother and brother are buried." A gravely laugh came from her throat as I stared at her, not believing what was happening. "but you won't end up where they are. You'll be my secret weapons against the Cullens. We'll go to Forks where they think they have Bella protected in the safety of their coven. And with you, I'll be able to kill Bella, just like they killed my love."_

**Go to Forks. Safety. Love.** Those words that I thought were God were instead from a Victoria. I thought I was going to Forks to find safety and love, but instead I ended up the one place that was most dangerous to me. Somehow, my mind had twisted Victoria's words around to give me hope, when in reality they should have been a warning. This revelation made me realize how stupid I was to think that destiny had brought me to Forks. As I had the flashback, it all started to make sense. The mind-reading vampire, Bella, and where those stupid, stupid words that were stuck in my head came from.

_I let out a loud scream to hopefully attract attention from someone near. Victoria growled in frustration and then pushed me with such force that I literally flew through the air and landed on the ground. My arm started bleeding and within about three seconds, Victoria disappeared and another woman with short blond hair and eyes an even brighter red than Victoria's was in front of me. At that instant I remember pain in my shoulder and I knew she had bit me, but suddenly, her weight was off of me. I heard voices around me, speaking almost too quickly to understand, but I could make out parts of it: 'humans coming' and 'just leave her, we'll come back,' and 'control the newborn'._

I remembered the pain and the burn almost like I was reliving the experience again. I remembered how the last thing I felt was ice cold on my face and on the bite.

And here I was, in the one place that was the most dangerous to me, sitting next to the one person who I would have destroyed, if everything didn't play out the way it did that night. During the three-hour talk I had with Bella, I learned that because I was bitten, I should have been changed. However, a vampire had to have sucked the venom out of my system. Bella said it had to have been a vampire with a lot of control. I tried and tried to remember what I saw after the bite but I couldn't. I just remember voices and the horrible pain. I assume it was Victoria.

I regained consciousness after the flashback, and I was basically freaking out. I couldn't get the feeling of panic to go away, especially when I opened my eyes and saw the large brown wolf and Edward still there. I had a hard time breathing and I felt sick to my stomach. I probably would have thrown up, but I hadn't eaten anything that day.

I was surprised when Edward was the first one to back off. He told the wolf that he needed to calm down or I was going to go into some kind of shock. Finally, the wolf ran into the woods, and a moment later, Jacob came out wearing a pair of shorts that he didn't have on before the exploding thing. I still couldn't help the terror that I felt and I was paralyzed, stuck to my spot on the ground. The cold, damp grass soaked though my clothes and became a deep chill in my bones. I was shaking, and crying, and not breathing, so Edward and Jacob left, I still don't know where they went, and Bella helped me into the house and calmed me down. Her sweet, quiet manner made me feel more at ease, and she waited until I felt back to normal before she spoke.

"I'm going to make you something to eat, and then try to explain everything." She had said, and I just nodded, too tired to argue.

Bella explained her relationship with Edward. I couldn't help but be fascinated by Edward and his family. They were 'vegetarian' vampires and only drank blood from animals. Bella explained how much self control it took for Edward and his family to be around humans, but their desire to not be complete monsters like most vampires motivated them to adopt their alternate lifestyle.

She told me about each of Edward's family members and their abilities and personalities. Then, she explained why Victoria wanted to kill her. She showed me her scar, and like the one on my shoulder, it was unnaturally cold to the touch. This similarity between her and I only increased the amount of trust I placed in her.

Then, I listened in amazement as she explained what I saw happen to Jacob. I had been purposefully trying not to think about that, because I still wasn't sure what I saw. She told me that the large brown, or russet as she called him, wolf really was Jacob. She told me about the legends of his tribe, and how all of his friends that I had met were also werewolves like him.

I wanted to know more about Jacob's abilities and how she knew about it, but she told me that was something she thought she should let Jacob explain. She seemed to avoid telling me how exactly she and Jacob knew each other, and it made me suspicious. I made a mental note to ask her later.

I was surprised when she made me promise that I'd talk to Jacob again. At the time, I didn't know if I wanted to see him. I didn't know how I'd act, or what I do. But, Bella told me that she knew how much he cared about me, and how not talking to me would tear him up. I made a comment about how a few days ago it didn't seem to bother him, and once again she only responded with "That's something you and Jacob need to talk about."

After Bella had explained most things, I told her my story. I couldn't help but just tell her all of it. She had been so honest with me; I knew I needed to be honest with her.

Before I began, Bella stopped me. "Denae, you know that Jacob and Edward are probably outside, right?"

I looked at her, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"I know Jacob, and I know Edward. They are probably outside being their normal, over-protective selves. They can probably hear our conversation." She said, warning me before I began my story.

I stayed quiet for a few moments. "Just because they're mythological creatures doesn't mean they have to be such _creepers,_" I looked over at Bella.

She looked at me and blinked a few times before she started laughing. "That wasn't what I expected you to say!" she laughed.

I smiled at her. Clearly, she didn't know me very well yet. "Really though, I mean you said Edward sneaks in through you window at night and watches you sleep. That's like the definition of a stalker! If you can hear me Edward—you're creepy."

Bella kept laughing and shaking her head. "I think it is sweet!"

I joined in the laughter. "It is sweet, you're right. But, in normal circumstances, admit it. It's kind of creepy."

She nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but I don't think I'd have it any other way. As crazy and strange as things are being with Edward, he makes me happy."

I thought about that for a moment, and knew that I understood what she meant. All of the things I learned today would make things even more complicated than they were before. However, if Jacob still wanted to be anywhere near me after he learned about my past, I knew that I'd feel the same way as Bella. "I know exactly what you mean," was all I said to her.

Then, I began my story. I was nervous at first, but as I spoke, it all just began to spill out of me. I told her about my dad and mom. I told her how Victoria killed Chase. The hardest part, though, was telling her about Grant. After I finished talking, both Bella and I were crying.

After we had both stopped crying, I decided we needed some hot chocolate. Now, Bella and I sat in a comfortable silence, drinking hot chocolate and processing everything we spoke about. After several minutes, Bella looked over at me. "It's really nice to have someone like me who knows about everything." She blushed and bit her lip.

Bella and I were nothing alike. She was quiet, shy and easily embarrassed. I tended to be loud, outgoing, and said what was on my mind. Yet, I felt like Bella and I had a bond. Our situation made us so similar, that I knew Bella Swan and myself would be friends. "I agree," I smiled.

We both looked to the door as a knock came from it. I stood to answer it and looked back at Bella. "The last time I answered the door, it didn't go so well."

Bella laughed lightly. "The third time's a charm!" She followed me to the door.

I opened it with a little hesitation and saw Jacob and Edward standing on the porch as far away from each other as possible. I couldn't help but feel my heart pick up its pace. It did that whenever I saw Jacob anyways, but this time the excitement was mixed with a little bit of panic.

"Hey guys," Bella broke the awkward silence.

"C-come in," I said, holding the door open. My breath caught as Jacob walked passed me, and I felt the familiar tingle I got whenever he was near. His head turned towards me and he gave me a small smile that I returned.

More awkward silence followed, so I took a deep breath and spoke. "This is weird,"

A nervous chuckle came from the group and I watched Bella nervously shift her weight and bite her lip. "We should probably go," she looked up at Edward. "Charlie will want me home soon."

I nodded. "Bella, Thank you so much. For everything." I reached over and gave her a quick hug.

She blushed and hugged me back. "No problem, Denae. I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

I nodded in agreement. Edward turned towards me. "Denae, I just want to apologize for my actions earlier. I overreacted and I was only thinking of protecting Bella."

"I understand," I said nervously. Even though I knew Edward wasn't a threat, I couldn't help but to be nervous around him.

"I hope that can change," he said, responding to my thoughts. "I know my family will want to talk to you, but that's only if you are okay with it."

"Um," I responded, not sure I felt about talking with a whole family of vampires.

"No, that's not happening," Jacob spoke up from behind me.

"Jacob…" I began.

He shook his head. "No, you are afraid of them, just like you_ should_ be." He shot Bella a look. "You aren't going to talk to them."

I felt my chin rise, a sure sign that my stubborn streak was going to take charge. "Jacob. I can decide for myself." I turned to Edward. "Give me some time to think about it, okay? I'm still trying to process everything."

Edward nodded while a small smile played on his face. "Absolutely. I can assure you they will not bring any harm to you. We just want to keep you and Bella safe from Victoria."

I blinked in surprise. "Me?"

Edward nodded. "There is a good chance that Victoria will still be after you either so she can change you, or she can get revenge. I've already talked with my family, and we will do everything we can to make sure you're safe."

Jacob stepped forward. "That won't be necessary," his eyes were narrowed and I noticed he was shaking slightly. "It is my job to keep Denae safe, and the Pack and I are more than capable of taking care of that. That's what we do. We kill bloodsuckers." His glare at Edward communicated more than what his words did.

I could see the situation possibly getting out of control so I put a hand on Jacob's arm lightly. I was momentarily distracted by the slight shock of electricity the touch gave me, and the familiar feeling of warmth his skin gave mine from the contract. "Jacob," I said softly.

Jacob took a deep breath and tore his glare away from Edward as he looked down at me. "I'm sorry," he sighed and rubbed a hand over his face.

In my mind, I directed my thoughts to Edward, who still had a small smile on his face._ I'll think about it, Edward. I'm not going to promise anything. But I'll think about it._

He gave a slight nod to acknowledge that he heard me and then he and Bella moved towards the door. "Bye Denae! Bye Jake!" Bella said.

Jacob and I said goodbye and watched as the door closed. I took a deep breath and turned towards him. I was on edge but I could feel the exhaustion in my sore muscles. He took a step towards me. He lightly ran his thumb under the cut on my cheek. I had almost forgotten it was there.

"You should put some ice on this," he murmured softly. I closed my eyes at his touch.

"It's okay. It doesn't hurt." I whispered back. When I opened my eyes Jacob was giving me a sad look. "What?" I asked softly.

He pulled away. "You're exhausted. I can tell. I've put you through so much." He shook his head.

"I've been through a lot, not just because of you," I responded. "We should have that talk…"

"I heard what you told Bella. She was right. Edward and I were right outside, listening like stalkers." He gave me a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

I smiled back. "Creepy," was my only response. Jacob just stood there, looking at me with a fake, forced smile. I turned away, feeling my heart start to break. He probably didn't want anything to do with me after he heard about my past with Grant. He probably was mad at me for not telling him, and probably thought I was too messed up to be worth any sort of effort. I was too messed up, I thought to myself. I couldn't see how anyone would want to deal with my baggage. "Um, well. I guess we don't need to talk since you know everything." I reached for the door while tears came to my eyes, trying to force out the determination to not cry in front of him. "Sorry," I whispered. "I'm really sorry I never told you, and I'm really sorry you had to get involved at all."

I obviously wasn't any good for Jacob. All he did was run around saving me all the time. I was a hassle. He'd be better off without me. In my mind, I started to make plans to leave Forks. I didn't want to leave now that I had met Bella. However, I knew that my being here probably put her in more danger, too.

"I think…I think I'm leaving in the morning." I was still gripping the doorknob. "So, you won't have to deal with this anymore."

Suddenly I was spun around and crushed to Jacob's chest. The tears came then, as he held me close to him.

He spoke to me, as his hands ran up and down my back in a soothing motion. "I was dealing with this a long time before I met you, Denae." He said and I wrapped my arms tighter around him. "When you came, the only thing that changed is that now…I'm happy. I have a purpose. I won't let you leave and take that away from me."

I looked up at him and he moved one of his hands and started to wipe the tears from my face. "You don't look happy," I said through my tears.

He laughed lightly. "I know, I know." He sighed and then led me to the couch, where he pulled me down onto his lap. He kissed the top of my head. "It's only because I'm worried about you, even more now that I know the whole story."

I laid my head on his chest, listening to his strong, steady heartbeat that seemed to have a pace faster than normal. "I'm really messed up," I said.

"No, don't say that," he said quickly. "You're prefect. You've been through a lot, yes. And you don't know how bad I wish those European bloodsuckers didn't kill that dirtbag who hurt you." I knew he was talking about Grant "because I want to track him down and deal with him myself. But, all that really, honestly matters to me is that you are right here, right now. I won't let anything ever hurt you, I swear."

I sniffed, and then looked up at him. "What did I do to deserve you?"

Jacob smiled, and this time it reached his eyes. "No, the question is: what did I do to deserve you? And, I don't know the answer, but I just know I had to do something really amazing for this sort of perfection."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh geeze, laying it on pretty thick aren't we?" I slapped his arm playfully and then laid my head back on his chest, smiling as I felt his chest shake with his laughter.

"I have to. I need to make up for changing into a big, giant dog and freaking you out,"

I laughed at this. "Well, I always have been a dog person!"

"Good," Jacob responded, happily.

I heard a wolf howl outside and I looked up at Jacob, suspiciously. "Is that…"

With a roll of his eyes Jacob responded. "Quil,"

I smiled. I knew things had changed, but I couldn't help but think they were for the better.


	12. Chapter 11: Chasing Cars

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 11**

**Chasing Cars- Snow Patrol**

_If I lay here  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_

I don't quite know  
How to say  
How I feel

Those three words  
Are said too much  
They're not enough

"I think they just broke something important," I sighed, finally opening my eyes. "That one was pretty loud."

I looked over as Jacob lifted his head off of the pillow, the hair on the side of his head sticking up in every direction. "No, it's not broken. Paul knocked over a chair. Jared got him calmed down though." He dropped his head back on to the pillow, and without looking reached an arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. "This is your fault, you know."

I waited for the loud roar of laughter from the other room to subside before speaking. "I know. I was just trying to be nice."

He opened one eye and looked at me. "I warned you,"

"I know, I know. And you've reminded me of that every day for the past three days." I stretched. "I better go out there before they come in here. I'll get them some food so you can sleep." I started to sit up.

"Uh uh." Jacob said, his voice muffled by the pillow. He wrapped his arms around me. I couldn't get out of his grasp if I wanted to, and honestly, I really didn't want to.

Another crash sounded throughout the house. Jacob lifted up his head and I couldn't help but giggle at his hair this time. "Yeah, they broke something that time. A whole leg off of that white chair."

I groaned. "I liked that chair!"

A knock came at the door. "Uh, Denae…" the voice said. I couldn't recognize who it was.

"Yeah…" I said, and tried to pull Jacob's arms off of me as they pinned me to the bed.

"No one's home!" Jacob said, his voice once again muffled by the pillow.

"Whatever, Jake. Quit hogging her. We have a rematch!" I realized it was Paul on the other side of the door.

"Go away, Paul!" Jacob said and I could tell he was slightly more annoyed that of all the possible teenage werewolves that could be knocking at my bedroom door, it was Paul. He and Jacob didn't get along very well, and I figured that was because they were polar opposites.

"Jacob, just let me go out there so you can get some sleep. This won't end well if you keep…" I was cut off when the door opened.

I looked towards the door and only had time for my eyes to widen in shock as I saw blurs of brown skin headed towards the bed. The next thing I knew Paul, Jared, and Seth were on the bed. "Pillow fight!" one of them yelled.

"Oh no…" I began and then covered my head as they started hitting each other with pillows.

"Get off! Get off! Get off!" Jacob said, pushing them off the bed. "Ouch, Seth that was my leg."

I rolled off of the bed. "Okay that's enough! You guys are too big to be on the bed! If you break it, you're getting me a new one. And it's going to be king size with a feather pillow top and some of that memory foam stuff. Come on, everyone out of the bedroom now." I pointed to the door.

I shook my head as they filed out the door one by one, with guilty looks on their faces. Once they left the room I leaned over and kissed Jacob's cheek. "Go to sleep,"

"Fine," Jacob huffed. "Naps aren't as good without you though."

I smiled at him as I walked out the door. "I know. But, you need your rest." I closed the door gently behind me and walked into the bathroom. I brushed my teeth quickly and tried to control my hair before I walked into the living room and crossed my arms, looking at where the three boys were sitting on the couch. The white chair was sitting in front of them, the front right leg snapped off. I looked around and saw random articles of clothing and shoes strung about the house. My eyes traveled back to couch.

"We're sorry, Shorty. Really…" Seth began.

I held up my hand and cut him off. "I don't want to hear it!" I tried to give them a stern look, but couldn't help the smile that made the corners of my lips twitch as Paul, Jared, and Seth stared up at me with sad looks. They noticed the crack in my resolve and their faces turned from ashamed looks to wide grins.

I gave up trying to be mean and smiled. "It's hard being mad at you guys," I shook my head. "Who broke the chair?" I already assumed it was Paul. He broke most of the stuff in the house, but I wanted him to admit it.

Jared and Seth pointed at Paul as he sheepishly raised his hand. "I'll fix it!"

I just shook my head. I knew he would. The past three days had been crazy, but I secretly loved it. When I found out that the Pack had been running long, crazy shifts to patrol the area around my house, I felt really guilty. So, despite Jacob's warnings, I offered that whenever they got off patrol they could crash at my house. Almost instantly, my house had been dubbed "Fort Forks" and became the home base and central meeting area when anyone was patrolling in Forks. Emily's house was "Fort La Push" and apparently she had been dealing with the same things I was now dealing with for awhile now; except, she somehow managed it with unfailing grace.

I really enjoyed the company of the Pack. I got along with all of them very well, and had never felt like I belonged as much as I had the past three days. The crazy supernatural part of my life had somehow woven in nicely with the normal, human part of my life. The constant activity and company made me very happy. Sitting in between two large Quileute boys playing on some random game system or another after a day of work seemed like it where I was meant to be. My worries and stress about Bella, Edward, and Victoria began to fade, even though it was always in the back of my mind.

Jacob and I had talked a lot in the past three days after I met Bella and Edward. I learned a lot more about what it was like for him being a werewolf. He went into detail about all of his abilities and quirks. It explained a lot of questions I had about him, like his warm body temperature which I had grown to enjoy. However, I could tell there was something important that he wasn't telling me. He kept saying that I just needed to hear the legend for myself.

I finally allowed myself to be totally comfortable with Jacob, and I was surprised that in only 72 hours it felt completely natural to just give Jacob a light kiss whenever I felt like it, or to grab his hand when we walked somewhere. Of course, any time Jacob was anywhere near me, my skin tingled in anticipation of being in contact with his, and every time we touched I felt a shock; every time we kissed I was turned to mush. But, I found myself craving those things whenever we were apart.

He was the most caring, sincere, and sweet guy I had ever met, and just when I thought he couldn't get any more perfect, he did something that blew that notion right out of the water. I knew deep down that there was something different about him, and something about what he and I had. However, I didn't challenge it or even try to figure it out. For the first time in my life I just let myself do what felt right in my heart.

We had discovered a mutual love for taking naps, and had currently been taking one when the three guys in front of me had come over before it was their turn to patrol. They didn't even knock anymore. They just waltzed in the house and made their selves at home. I was kind of surprised with myself for handling the whole werewolf thing so well. But, Jacob told me that since I already knew about vampires, it was probably easier for me to believe it.

"Okay. Well, have you guys eaten? Do you want me to make you something?" I asked, turning towards the kitchen. Out of the corner of my eye I saw then giving each other worried looks, so I turned back around. "What? What are those looks for?"

"Nothing!" Jared said quickly. "We just…we ate at Emily's earlier…"

"Well you're getting ready to go patrol and you're going to get hungry. I can make something real fast." I watched as they looked at each other again.

"No, really. Don't worry about it." Seth said.

"Is this because my cooking sucks?" I asked, bluntly. They avoided my eyes, and I had my answer.

"Well…" Paul began. Everyone said Paul was the temperamental one of the group. While he did have more angry outbursts than the others, I found that, surprisingly, we got along pretty well. I enjoyed his straight forward honesty and he said he liked that I could take a joke. "Yeah it is." He shrugged a little. "Plus, we knew that you had to work later, and we feel bad for breaking your stuff and making your house messy, so we didn't want you to worry about it."

"I think that's the first time you've ever expressed a bit of guilt or remorse, Paul." I heard Jacob's voice say and my eyes instantly moved to where he was standing in the door way, stretching and yawning. I took the opportunity to let my eyes run over Jacob's well muscled chest, abs, and arms, taking note of the way his muscles moved as he stretched and how low his shorts were hanging on his hips. When I made my way back up to his face he was looking at me with a smirk that told me he had caught me checking him out. I blushed a little, but tried to play it cool so I winked at him and then turned towards the kitchen as I heard Paul start to go off in defense.

Jacob followed me, ignoring Paul's rant. "I thought you were going to sleep," I stood on my tip toes trying to reach a bowl that was just out of my reach. Jacob reached above my head and grabbed it easily, setting it on the counter. "Thanks," I said, grabbing some cereal.

"I couldn't sleep when I could hear you out here," he shrugged.

I rolled my eyes. "That's just silly,"

"It's true," Jacob's hand reached over and grabbed mine. He pulled me toward him. As his head lowered towards mine my eyes began to close. Jacob's lips were almost touching mine when I heard a growl from the living room.

"Jared!" I yelled. "Give Paul a break!" I didn't even need to hear the conversation to know that Jared was probably antagonizing Paul.

"Thanks, Shorty!" Paul yelled, and I knew he had already calmed down.

"You know, I wish they hated you." Jacob said as he grabbed a bowl and the cereal. "That way they'd stay away and I wouldn't have to share. But no, you're everyone's best friend."

"Oh stop," I said before taking a bite. "I like it. I feel so…included."

Jacob smiled. "And that's exactly why I don't do something about it. I know it makes you happy having everyone around."

I nodded. "It does," I paused. "Even though, I wouldn't mind if you and I had a little alone time sometimes. But, I know with Victoria around, that probably won't happen for awhile."

Jacob sighed. "Yeah, but if she comes anywhere near here she's done for,"

I started to reply when the guys walked into the kitchen. "Okay, we're off to patrol. Thanks for letting us stay here!" Seth said, his happy grin making me smile.

"No problem," I replied. "And Seth, I put that paper back in your bag with some corrections to it. You did a great job; I just moved some stuff around and made little changes."

"Thanks!" he said happily. "That'll bring my grade back up." I had been helping Brady, Collin and Seth with some of their school work when they were at my house. They had fallen behind, and Sam made sure to stress the importance of them catching up. He allowed the older boys like Jacob, Quil and Embry to decide what they wanted to do about school for themselves. I was filled with guilt when Jacob told me that he had decided to drop out and get his GED so he could spend more time protecting me. We had a small argument over this, and I wasn't going to give in until Jacob explained to me that no matter what, he probably would have had to drop out. He was an essential member of the pack, and if there was any threat of a vampire, he would have made that decision.

I said goodbye to the boys, telling each of them to be careful, and to kill a smelly vampire for me. When they left, I looked over at Jacob. "It's so quiet," I said after a few moments passed where the only sound was Jacob and I chewing on our cereal.

He leaned down and kissed me. It wasn't like his usual soft, tender kisses. It was more demanding and rushed. He pulled away much sooner than I wanted him to. "Not for long."

"Seriously, Leah. Shut up!" I heard Quil say before the door slammed.

"You shut up, Quil. I can complain about being stuck inside of your guys' annoying one-track minds all I want." she said with a harsh tone.

I blushed as they entered the kitchen and caught Jacob and I breathing heavily and standing close. "Oh, sorry. Are we interrupting?" Quil grinned.

"No, it's alright," I said before they left the kitchen. "I need to get ready for work anyways." I placed my bowl in the sink and squeezed Jacob's hand as I left the room. I heard the murmur of their voices discussing how patrol had been as I walked down the hall.

After taking a shower and getting ready quickly I reentered the living room to see Leah asleep on the couch and Quil snoring on the loveseat. Jacob was asleep on the recliner. I felt my heart swell slightly as I watched him sleep. For once, he actually looked seventeen, not twenty-five. His eyelashes fluttered on his cheeks and his eyebrows were slightly furrowed as he breathed steadily. I wanted to go over and kiss the crease that came in between his eyebrows, but I didn't want to wake him up. I could tell he was exhausted. Ever since he found out about my involvement with vampires and my less than perfect past, he seemed to always have a worried look on his face. So, I just threw a blanket on him. I stood and smiled as he pulled the edges closer to him.

"I love you," I whispered, without even thinking about it. I took a step back, my mind going a million different directions as Jacob smiled softly in his sleep, the concerned crease in between his eyebrows disappearing.

Did I really love Jacob? I hurried out of the house because I knew that if I looked at his peaceful, sleeping face I wouldn't be able to deny it. Jacob made me happier than I've ever been. We got along really well, even though we still argued about some things. But, it had been such a short period of time. He was all I thought about during that time, and I wouldn't deny that I felt a pull towards Jacob. However, love seemed like such a serious word.

My mind was still going in a million directions when I got to work. However, after a couple of hours at work, I forced all thoughts of the confession I let slip from my mind, and focused on my job.

About an hour before I got off I looked toward the door and saw Bella walk in. She looked around uncomfortably until her gaze rested on me. I smiled and motioned that I'd be just a minute. Earlier in the day she had called me and asked if I wanted to get together to talk about things now that I had some time to let everything calm down. I had the feeling the conversation was going to be about meeting with Edward's family. The thought of being around that many vampires at once still frightened me, but I knew that it was the right thing to do.

I walked over to the table Bella was sitting at. "Hey! Do you want something to eat? I have about an hour left."

Bella smiled "Yeah, that'd be great. Edward left to go hunting again. After the way he acted with you the other day, he has been hunting more often. I was just sitting at home, so I came early." She shrugged and I caught the title of the book she had opened.

"Wuthering Heights?" I asked.

She nodded quickly. "It's my favorite; I've read it a million times."

"If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it." I quoted.

Bella looked up at me, surprised. "You've read it?"

"Yeah, once. That quote always stuck out to me for some reason." I shrugged. "I read a lot though. Well, used to. I haven't in a while, and I didn't bring any books to Forks with me."

She smiled at me, happily. "You'll just have to borrow some of mine, then."

I nodded. "Sounds good,"

Bella ordered something off of the menu, and I went back to my tables, every now and then stopping by and chatting about nonessential things with Bella. Finally, my shift ended and I slid into the other side of the booth. Bella marked her spot in the book and then looked up at me. "So… how are you?"

I shrugged. "Okay, actually." I paused for a moment. "It's weird how all this crazy stuff seems so normal."

She nodded in agreement. "I understand. I thought the same thing with Edward. After a little bit of time, I suddenly was okay with everything. It was weird."

"Jacob says because I knew about…" I paused. "I knew about the whole… thing before I came to Forks, finding out about…him… was easier."

Bella nodded. "Probably. When you allow yourself to admit that one thing exists, it's easier to believe that any fairytale could be true."

I nodded. "I know. I'm waiting for Frankenstein to walk in the door any time now."

Bella laughed and nodded. "Me too!"

"Hey, Short Stuff. You have a phone call!" Rick yelled from the back.

I glanced at my cell phone with a puzzled look. Jacob and the rest of the pack had my number, so I wasn't sure why they would call the work phone.

I grabbed the phone from Rick. "Hello?"

"_Denae? This is Mrs. Wilson, from down the street._" I heard my neighbor's soft voice say.

"Oh, hi. How are you?" I asked, still confused. I glanced at where Bella was sitting at the table talking on her cell phone.

"_I'm fine, dear. I just wanted to let you know, some lady was walking around the outside of your house today. When I asked her if she needed anything she said that she knew you." _Her voice held some concern._ "She said she was a mutual friend of yours and Chief Swan's girl. Her name was…Veronica or something_…"

I think all the color drained from my face. "V-Victoria?" I stuttered out.

"_That's it_!" she said. "_I just wanted to let you know. Jacob Black and his friends had just left your house, so no one was there and I thought it was very strange that she was snooping around. I told her you would be back from work soon probably, so she didn't get any ideas, but she said that she'd probably just go pay Bella a visit_."

My eyes darted to where Bella was looking around the restaurant with a panicked look on her face as she talked hurriedly on her phone. "T-Thank you for calling Mrs. Wilson," I said quietly, even though I wanted to scream with terror.

"_You're welcome, dear._" Mrs. Wilson said, and then hung up. I dropped the phone on the table and hurried over to where Bella was closing her phone.

"Bella! Victoria…" I began to say.

"Victoria is in Forks!" Bella said at the same time.

We stared at each other for a moment. "My neighbor said she was at my house. She knows you and I know each other now."

Bella's eyes widened. "Alice called. She said that she saw Victoria coming to the restaurant."

I looked outside of the window, expecting to see Victoria standing outside, staring at me with her piercing red eyes. I looked at where Bella was doing the same thing, nervously chewing on her lip at the same time. Her brown eyes were full of tears.

I instantly started to think of a plan. I knew I needed to get Bella safe. "Is Edward coming to get you?"

"He's on his way," she nodded.

I looked outside worriedly again. "I don't like just sitting here,"

"There's nothing else we can do. If we leave she'll find us." Bella said. She looked outside. "Edward's here!" I looked up and saw a shiny silver car turning into the parking lot. It went around the side of the building towards the back exit.

"Let's go!" I said, grabbing her hand and rushing to the exit. I was jerked to a stop when Bella's phone began ringing.

"It's Edward," she said, confused.

"He's probably telling you to come outside," I said, pulling her hand so we could start moving toward the exit.

"I don't know…" she said, and pulled her hand out of my grasp to answer the phone. I let out a frustrated sigh, knowing we didn't have any time to waste. I threw the back door open and heard Bella answer. "Edward?"

I looked around in the dusk for the car, but the lot was empty. I glanced back at Bella, confused. Her expression turned from confused to terrified and I watched as her eyes left my face and flickered to a spot behind me. "What?" I began to ask.

"Denae!" Bella said "Get back in…"

I didn't hear the rest of her sentence. I turned around to see what she was staring at and froze. My breath caught in my throat and I wanted nothing more than to scream. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. I couldn't look away. My eyes were glued to the red eyes that were glaring at me.

"Hello, Denae. How convenient it is to find you and Bella here, together." Victoria's harsh voice cut through my fear-induced paralysis. I knew the door locked from the outside, and while I knew a locked door wouldn't stop a vampire, I thought maybe she wouldn't have time to mess with it. I moved and slammed the door behind me, blocking out Bella's cries for me not to. Victoria's eyes narrowed and I could see her dangerous looking snarl in the streetlight. The harsh glare made her pale skin almost glow.

"You don't have time to go after Bella," my voice came out surprisingly calm. "And you don't have time to turn me here. Edward and the rest of the Cullens will be here any minute. I suggest that you run. Fast."

"I intend to do that," Victoria said, and in an instant she was in front of me, her face mere inches away from mine. "You're right. I don't have time to get Bella, but that's alright. My little army in Seattle would be pointless if I killed her now, anyways. This has gotten much bigger than the Cullens anticipated, and I'm not stopping until I've destroyed them all. Plus, I have big plans for you."

She grabbed my arm and suddenly I was thrown over her shoulder, and the scenery around me was a blur. Tree branches began ripping and tearing at my clothes, skin, and hair and I knew we had entered the woods. Victoria ran, and stopped every few moments for only a second, and I could tell she was listening for who was running after her. After the third time she paused and started to kick and struggle and I felt a sharp pain run up my leg as I connected with some part of her body. This caught her off guard, even though I don't think it hurt her one bit, and I felt her arm loosen. I took a deep breath and leaned all my weight forward, causing me to flip off of her shoulder and land on to the hard, frozen ground. I cried out in pain as I landed on my wrist, but forced myself to roll over and started to scramble away from her.

She grabbed my injured wrist and pulled me up roughly, causing another cry of pain to force itself past my lips. "Shut up!" she hissed, and looked around quickly. I could tell she was beginning to panic. I knew this meant the pack, the Cullens, or hopefully, both were nearing where we were.

I screamed at the top of my lungs, hoping that they could hear me and would be able to find us easier. I was answered with a howl in the distance, but didn't have a chance to enjoy my victory because suddenly, my breathing was restricted as Victoria's hand clamped around my throat and she held me off the ground. I swung my dangling feet and clawed at her hands, but she didn't budge. "I'm starting to think you are more trouble than you're worth," she said through clenched teeth and I felt her hands get tighter around my throat.

A terrifying growl came from behind me. Victoria dropped me to the ground. As I lay on the ground, gasping and coughing, trying to take in some air I noticed she had crouched down. I looked up and saw a large wolf standing a few feet away. His ears were flattened to his head, and his mouth was twisted into a ferocious snarl, but I had never felt more safe than when I saw it. I couldn't see what color it was, but something told me it was Jacob. I watched as Victoria crouched lower to the ground and I knew she was getting ready to jump on the wolf.

I almost couldn't control my actions as I looked and saw a large branch lying just with in my reach. I grabbed it and stood up as quietly as I could. Thankfully the wolf had Victoria's attention so she didn't seem to notice, or care, that I was moving. I didn't even think about it as I took a deep breath and swung as hard as I could with the branch. It connected with her head, and broke and splintered into hundreds of pieces.

She swung around and grabbed the branch, and pulled me closer to her. She threw the now busted tree limb to the side. My whole body hurt, and I had dozens of bruises, scrapes and scratches everywhere. I whimpered in pain as she grabbed my injured wrist again.

The wolf let out another growl, and then jumped, landing right in front of Victoria. Victoria swung my arm with a painful jerk, and I went flying across the small clearing we were in, landing on the ground with a thud. My whole arm was in such an intense pain that I let out a loud scream. Tears were streaming down my face as I tried to hang on to consciousness. The pain was so intense that I had a hard time on focusing on anything else, but in the background I could hear growls and snarls and howls. I felt a wet nose touch my face and I opened my eyes to see the brown wolf that I recognized as Jacob looking down at me. His familiar brown eyes were looking all over me with an anguished look. He pulled his head away and started to back away from me.

"No," I gasped out in between sob. "No, Jacob. Come _back_!" I cried. I didn't know where he was going, or why. But I didn't want him to leave me.

A familiar silver wolf walked into my line of vision. I instantly recognized it as Paul. He had lost control and phased enough in my backyard that I could easily identify him. He let out a low whine as he paced in front of me. "Paul," I said, gritting my teeth as I tried to sit up. "Where is he?" I kept trying to sit up, but I'd accidently move my arm and end up back on the ground in pain. Paul whined again, and looked past me.

I tried to move so I could see what he was looking at, but was once again met with a stabbing pain from my arm and shoulder. I let out a frustrated sob as I kept trying to sit up.

"Denae!" I heard Jacob's voice. Suddenly, he was crouched down in front of me. His face was full of distress, worry, and pain as he looked at me. "Don't try to sit up, it'll only hurt more. Just lay right there. You're okay. I'm not going anywhere."

I relaxed at his words, and even more at the feel of his warm hands wiping my tears away. "Are..are you okay?" I asked, my voice cracking a little.

Jacob's agonized look softened a little at my words. "You're asking me if I'm okay?"

I nodded in response.

"Oh, Denae." Was all he said. "I'm going to try to pick you up and carry you so you can be looked at by a doctor okay? It may hurt a little, but I'll try very hard not to hurt you at all."

I nodded and sniffed. "O-okay." I heard other voices, but I tried to block them out and focused on not crying out in pain as Jacob's strong arms slipped under my head and my knees and lifted me up off of the ground. "O-ouch," I said softly as my arm moved a little.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." He said. "I'm so, so sorry."

"I-It's okay," I said as I tried to take a few deep breaths. "I'm fine." I opened my eyes and looked up at him as I felt us start to move. I could feel the exhaustion set in and my eyes started to get heavy and began to close again. I struggled to keep them open so I could look at Jacob, and know that I was safe, but I quickly lost that battle as things started to go black.

"Denae?" I heard Jacob ask, his voice seeming far away.

"Mmmhm?" I replied, unable to actually form any words.

"I love you too."


	13. Chapter 12: Two is Better Than One

A/N: Hmm...It's been awhile. I'M SO SORRY! I really am, I hope you haven't given up on this story! Life = crazy. Hopefully I've made up for it by the longest chapter yet. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWS. You guys make me happy! :) I don't own anything: All recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. Let me know what you think of this chapter, I made a lot of revisions to it.

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 12**

**_Two is Better Than One - Boys Like Girls (feat. Taylor Swift)_**

_I remember every look upon your face, _  
_The way you roll your eyes, the way you taste_  
_You make it hard for breathing_  
_'Cause when I close my eyes and drift away_  
_I think of you and everythings okay_  
_And finally now, we're leaving_

_And maybe it's true, that I can't live without you_  
_Well maybe two is better than one_  
_There's so much time, to figure out the rest of my life_  
_And you've already got me coming undone_  
_And I'm thinking two, is better than one_**_  
_**

**_"Denae?" I heard Jacob ask, his voice seemed far away._**

**_"Mmmhm?" I replied, unable to actually form any words._**

**_"I love you too."_**

My eyes opened at Jacob's words. It took a few moments for my eyes to focus on his face and I fought against the blackness that threatened to take over. My body protested out of exhaustion, but I forced myself to keep my eyes opened. Jacob loved me. And all I wanted to do was just stare at him as the words sunk in. Plus, I didn't want to lose consciousness twice in one week.

So, I pushed away the pain in my wrist and shoulder and stared at Jacob. In the distance I could hear howling, but it was quieter now. I knew the conflict with Victoria wasn't in the immediate area. Jacob's pace was quick, but he didn't seem to be running from her.

"Y-you heard me earlier?" I finally said. My words cut through the emotion that settled around us like the thick fog that had settled in the forest.

"I kind of thought it was just a really good dream at first." He smiled down at me and I felt a wave of relief wash through me. His face had looked so worried and pained, so his smile lifted my spirits and I instantly smiled back. "But somehow, I just knew it wasn't a dream."

"And…you really do?" I blurted out. I wanted to hear him say it again.

"Do what?" he asked as he maneuvered through the trees gracefully.

"L-love me?" I answered, suddenly feeling self conscious.

"I love you, Denae." Jacob said, and my heart soared. "Don't ever question that."

"I love you, Jacob." I said softly. I smiled as the joy of having those words pass from my lips spread through me. "Where are we going?" I asked, suddenly.

"Well…" Jacob began, hesitantly. "The uh, Cullens' house."

I gasped. "What?" I squirmed a little in his arms and winced as pain shot through my shoulder. "B-but I'm bleeding!" The last place I wanted to be after being attacked by a dangerous blood-thirsty monster was in a house full of said dangerous blood-thirsty monsters. I knew that the Cullens' were different, but I still didn't want anything to do with them at that moment.

"Do you remember Bella telling you about Edward's uh…father?" Jacob asked, and I could tell he hated that we were having this conversation.

I nodded. "Dr Cullen,"

"Right," he confirmed. "Well, he has amazing control. He works in the hospital and is around human blood all the time and never loses control. He'll be the only one at the house, the rest of the blood…I mean Cullens are out after Victoria. She was headed towards La Push when I phased, and the pack is keeping her surrounded so she can't slip through and reach us, or the Cullens' house." He sighed. "I know vampires make you nervous…they make me nervous, and angry, and…well you know." He sighed again and I knew this was really hard for him. "But…I trust Dr. Cullen." He practically mumbled.

I stayed quiet for a moment. I had absolutely no reason to trust any vampire and every reason to distrust them all. However, I did trust Jacob with my life and with my heart, so I trusted him with this. I knew if he thought I was safe, then I knew I was safe. "O-okay," I said, finally.

Jacob kissed top of my head. "We're almost there," he said.

I heard a growl come from beside us and I looked over in surprise to see a light brown wolf beside us. His ears were flattened against his head as he paced and let out a small bark. "Seth?" Jacob said to the wolf.

The wolf let out another small bark as we broke through the trees and into a clearing. In the dark I could make out the form of what appeared to be a large house. A light came on outside, confirming my thoughts.

"Jake!" Someone called. I squinted into the dark and realized the person jogging towards us was Brady.

"What's going on, Brady?" Jacob asked. "Seth's going nuts."

Seth whined and continued his pacing. "The big bloodsucker crossed the treaty line and Paul jumped on him," Brady said, shaking his head. "In all of the confusion, the red-head got away."

Jacob let out a frustrated growl and I couldn't stop the shudder that went through my body. I was hoping they would catch Victoria and we wouldn't have to worry about her any more.

"Thanks, Brady." I said softly. He nodded and jogged back towards the woods. I glanced up at Jacob and lightly put my good hand on his cheek. "Hey,"

He sighed and looked down at me. "Yeah?"

"It's alright. I'm okay, you're okay, and Bella's okay." I said, trying to smile. "We'll figure this out."

He took a deep breath. "Let's go see Dr. Cullen," he said as he began to walk again. "Thanks, Seth." He called over his shoulder.

I waved to the wolf that was Seth. I was amazed at how the wolf-versions of my friends looked so much like their human ones. Seth, as a human, was a tall, gangly boy and his wolf appeared the same way. Paul wasn't quite as tall as Jacob or burly as Quil, but the way he appeared as a wolf seemed so similar to his human form, especially his dark brown eyes.

And Jacob, well everything about Jacob as a wolf was equivalent to him as a human. He was huge, strong, and quick. Quil had said Jacob was the pack's best fighter, and I believed him. When I saw Jacob as a wolf, I was always amazed at how powerful he looked. Even when he was just walking it was easy to see the strength he possessed. He could be very intimidating, both as a human and wolf, but he could also be playful and silly in both forms.

"Will Seth, Brady, and Collin be okay?" I asked, concerned that the younger ones were out chasing after Victoria.

Jacob smiled down at me as we continued walking. "Yes. We look out for them. That's why Seth walked with us and Brady and Collin are here, keeping the rest of the pack updated on how you're doing. They are all really worried about you."

"Really?" I asked, a little surprised.

"Of course," Jacob replied, happily. "They all think a lot of you, Denae. You're a part of the family now, like their sister."

I thought about this for a moment. "So, just because we're together, I'm like their sister?" I asked, slightly confused.

Jacob made a face, and I recognized it as one that meant he was thinking very carefully about what he wanted to say. "Well, yes sort of…you really need to hear the legend."

I was about to open my mouth to reply that he always said that and I didn't understand why he couldn't just tell me the legend if I really needed to hear it, but I was cut off by another voice.

"Jacob, Denae. Welcome, please come inside." I noted a shadowy figure of a man standing on the porch, and assumed it was Dr. Cullen. I couldn't make out any features, but he stood very still as we approached.

Jacob just nodded stiffly as we walked up the steps. His whole body was tense and I knew he was probably even more uncomfortable than I was in this situation. I rubbed soothing circles with my good hand where it was resting around his neck. He took a deep breath and I felt his muscles relax a little.

"I would like to do some X-rays right away. Why don't we head upstairs?" Dr. Cullen spoke again. I still couldn't see him. He stood behind us, and Jacob's broad shoulder blocked my view.

"You have an X-ray machine in your house?" Jacob asked, skeptically, as we walked up the stairs.

Dr. Cullen laughed lightly. "Yes, when Bella and Edward began seeing each other, Edward requested that we keep one here. He noticed that Bella has a tendency for accidents, and thought it would be helpful. I have to say, I agree with him."

Jacob laughed at that, and I joined in, but my laughter was cut short when the movement sent a shooting pain through my arm. "Ouch," I said softly.

Jacob looked down at me with a worried expression. "Are you okay?" he asked. I nodded in response.

"The second door on the left," Dr. Cullen's voice instructed us. His voice held a faint accent that hinted at the fact that he was centuries old. Bella told me a little about Dr. Cullen, and I tried to focus on those things, and not the fact that he could snap my bones in two with a tiny flick of his wrist.

Jacob walked through the door and sat me down gently on the table, being careful to avoid my left arm. He kissed the top of my head. "I'll be right outside the door, okay?"

I nodded. "Okay. I love you." I whispered.

He gave me a huge, happy grin. "I love you." He replied, and walked to the door. I immediately missed his comforting heat.

It was then that I got my first look at Dr. Cullen. He gave me a friendly smile and I was surprised to see how young he looked. He had light blonde hair, and the same bright gold eyes and smooth, pale skin that Edward had.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Denae." Dr. Cullen said, and extended his hand. "Bella is very fond of you and has told me great things about you."

I took a deep breath, and gathered some courage as I reached out and shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you too, Dr. Cullen. Bella has told me great things about you as well."

"Please, call me Carlisle." He said. "I'm going to examine your arm. If you get uncomfortable, please just let me know. I will do my best not to cause you any pain."

Carlisle asked me questions as he looked at my arm and began cleaning out some of the cuts and scrapes I had gotten from the tree branches. At first, I was very uncomfortable, and tensed up every time his cold hand touched me. But, after a little time had passed, I became more comfortable. If it weren't for the fact that we were speaking about my wounds from an attack by a crazed vampire, and if he hadn't had to burn all of the gauze that had my blood on it as he used it, it would have felt like a normal doctor's visit.

He took some X-rays of my arm, and I couldn't help but gasp in pain a few times, as I had to move my arm in a few uncomfortable positions. Every time I would do that, Jacob stuck his head in the door to make sure I was alright. I hated how nervous and worried he was, but it made me feel very loved as I watched him pace outside the door.

About half way through the X-rays, I saw Jacob take out and dial a cell phone. I could hear him talking on it softly, but I couldn't tell who he was talking to. He hung up, and then dialed another number. After a short conversation on it, he hung up. Jacob had just snapped the phone shut when Carlisle asked him to come back inside the room.

"Okay, well there is some good news," he said with a small smile. "I originally thought your shoulder was dislocated. However, it seems that it is probably just a few strained ligaments. If you are careful not to use it, or put too much strain on it, then it should be much better in four days or so." He paused. "Now, it appears your wrist is sprained. It is in an area that, as you can probably attest to Denae, is rather painful." I nodded in agreement, and Jacob shifted in his seat next to me. "It is a serious sprain, though it is surprising you didn't break it. I'm going to wrap it for you, and you need to keep it wrapped for the next three days. You can take it off after that, and then you'll need to be really careful with it for the next few weeks. Jacob, if you watch how I wrap it, then you'll be able to rewrap it for Denae so she can take it off to shower and put some ice on it."

Jacob let out a breath. "So no, like, surgery or anything?"

Carlisle smiled at Jacob, and the gesture made me realize how impressed I was with the way Carlisle acted with Jacob. They were naturally mortal enemies, but you couldn't tell by the way Carlisle was acting. This made me like the man even more. "No, she won't need any surgery. She just needs to take it easy until it is healed." Carlisle looked back at me. "This means no working, Denae."

"What?!" I said with wide eyes. "Seriously?"

He nodded. "Any stress you put on either your wrist or shoulder could lead to serious injuries."

"I need to work, though!" I replied.

"It will only be for about five days or so," Dr. Cullen replied

I sighed. I knew he was right. "What am I going to tell them?" I groaned

"I've already taken care of that," Jacob spoke up and glanced at me warily. "I called the restaurant and told them you won't be able to work for awhile."

"You did?!" I asked. "What did you tell them? A crazy revenge-seeking vampire attacked me?"

Jacob grimaced at my words. "Uh, no…" he hesitated.

"Well, what did you tell them?" I asked impatiently.

"I told them that you were…cleaning your gutters, and saw a spider and got scared and fell off of the ladder." Jacob looked away and I saw his frame shaking. But he wasn't shaking like he was about to phase; he was shaking because he was trying to contain his laughter.

"No! You didn't!" I exclaimed and looked at him for a moment before I joined in with his laughter. Tears came to my eyes because I was laughing so hard. Carlisle smiled at us, but looked a little confused. He stood and started to gather some supplies, but Jacob and I just sat there and laughed. I leaned on to his shoulder for support as our laughter began to die down.

Jacob and I looked at each other, and erupted into laughter again. "I'm sorry," he said in between chuckles. "I know how embarrassed you are about that, but I just couldn't help it. I needed a story, and it just fit so perfectly. They totally bought it."

I smiled at him, trying to suppress more giggles and catch my breath. "Don't be sorry. I think it's hilarious." We finally stopped laughing, and Carlisle turned back around with the wrap for my wrist. He began to wrap my hand and wrist tightly, explaining what he was doing to Jacob as he went along. Jacob watched intently and grabbed my good hand in his and ran his thumb over the back of it. I looked at our hands, and saw how even though my hand was tiny compared to his, somehow it fit perfectly. Then, it occurred to me how everything about Jacob and I somehow fit perfectly. When he held me it was like somehow our bodies were made to fit perfectly together. He always knew just what to say to me to make me smile, and when he was angry, and I could tell he was on the verge of phasing, somehow I was always able to calm him back down.

"Penny for your thoughts," Jacob whispered as Carlisle finished wrapping my wrist.

I looked up at him and took in his beautiful face, committing every detail to memory. I memorized the way his hair swept lazily over the tan skin of his forehead. I took in his dark eyebrows, raised just slightly in a question. My eyes followed the smooth slope of his nose down to his full lips, twisted into a small smirk. I gazed over his high cheekbones and strong jaw line. Finally I looked into his deep brown eyes. They were full of love and as he looked at me, I felt like I was the only thing he saw. I felt special. I felt whole. I began to realize that even though I was fiercely independent and had put walls up to protect myself, I wasn't complete without Jacob. I realized I did need someone else, and that someone else was him.

"I'll tell you later," I said and then regretfully tore my eyes away from his. Carlisle was checking my arm, making sure the bandage would stay.

"I believe you're all set. If your feel any pain, put some ice on it. That will also help with the swelling." He said.

"Thank you, Carlisle." I said with a smile. "You don't know how much I appreciate this."

Carlisle smiled back at me. "You're very welcome, Denae." He paused and glanced and Jacob quickly, then looked back at me. "My family is almost here. Would you be opposed to speaking with them now? We have some questions for you, and we would really like to learn more so we can have a better idea how to keep both you and Bella safe."

I glanced at Jacob. He had a small frown on his face, but he wasn't protesting like he had done before with Edward. "Yeah, I'm up for it. Um, can Jacob and I have just a minute, please?"

"Of course." Carlisle smiled. "Everyone is excited to meet you, and you have nothing to worry about."

I watched as Carlisle stood and exited the room, and then I turned to look at Jacob. "I want to make sure this is okay with you first." I said, my eyes scanning his face for any sort of hint as to what he was thinking. "I know I can be stubborn, but do understand that you want to keep me safe, and you don't know how happy that makes me."

Jacob just sighed in response, and I could see his resolve begin to crumble.

"Talking to all of them makes me uncomfortable, too." I said softly. "But, I think it's the right thing to do."

"Fine. But if they even look at you the wrong way…" he growled, and I knew it was more for the benefit of any of the Cullens that might be listening than me.

"Alright, easy tiger." I smiled at him, trying to getting him to settle down. Nervousness filled up inside of me, threatening to spill over but I tried to keep a calm smile on my face for Jacob.

Carlisle stuck his head in the door. "Ready?"

I smiled and nodded as I stood up. I wrapped my good arm around Jacob's large, warm, muscular arm as we followed Carlisle down the stairs. I stopped about four steps from the bottom as my eyes became glued to a huge vampire. He stood at the bottom with his arms crossed.

Jacob began to shake, and I realized this was the vampire who had crossed the treaty line. "Jacob," I warned softly, tightening my grip on him.

"He's the reason she got away," Jacob whispered back, even though it was pointless. They all heard us. The vampire uncrossed his arms, and his hands fell to his sides in fists.

"No, it was the furball that attacked me's fault." The vampire responded. My eyes widened as his muscles flexed. Jacob was taller than him, but he was still a vampire, and very intimidating. Edward and another male vampire with blonde, curly hair moved closer to the large vampire. I realized I needed to do damage control.

I tugged on Jacob's arm. "Jacob, look at me." I insisted. After one last harsh glare, he pulled his eyes away from the group of annoyed-looking vampires and looked down at me. I placed my hand on his cheek. "Not here, okay? Think about it, this whole family cares about Bella. He didn't do it on purpose, and is probably just as upset that it happened. Let's get through this without you ripping up this pair of shorts, you are running low." I smiled at him.

He took a deep breath and forced a smile back. "Only for you," he murmured.

I turned back towards the group. My eyes scanned the group. Everyone seemed to relax visibly, and I felt myself calm down dramatically. "Hi," I said in the friendliest manner I could muster. The situation was incredibly awkward, but I tried to push that away. "I'm Denae."

Suddenly, Bella let go of Edward's arm and ran up to me. "You're hurt!"

I leaned over and hugged Bella tightly. "I'm fine. It's minor. Carlisle fixed me right up. Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I can't believe you did that," she shook her head. "What were you thinking?"

"She wasn't," Jacob muttered. I shot him a look and then turned my attention back down to Bella.

"I knew that if she got to you, she'd kill you in a second, but she wouldn't change me right there. I had a better chance, and I couldn't let anything happen to you." I smiled. "But, look I'm fine."

"I do want to let you know how grateful I am for what you did, Denae." Edward spoke up. "You put yourself in harm's way to protect Bella, and I am in debt to you."

I smiled at Edward. "Bella is my friend, and has done so much for me; I couldn't let anything happen to her." In my head I added. I'm sorry that she was even in danger at all. I feel like it was my fault, Victoria came here looking for me.

"Don't think that," he responded to my unspoken words.

I felt Jacob's eyes on me in question, but I didn't look up. Instead, I looked around at the faces staring back at me, all with matching amber eyes. Everyone seemed calm, but I could also sense a resounding feeling of disappointment. Everyone was upset Victoria got away, and the room felt very somber.

"Let me introduce you," Edward said. "You know Carlisle, and that is his wife, Esme." I looked at Esme. She gave me a friendly smile.

"It's so nice to meet you, Denae. Bella has said so many nice things about you. And, I want to let you know I echo Edward's gratitude for what you did today. She is a part of our family, and we appreciate what you did." Esme had a motherly tone and a sweet smile, and I immediately liked her.

"This is Emmett, and his wife Rosalie." Edward said, pointing to the huge vampire and a gorgeous blonde. Emmett didn't look quite as scary anymore as he gave me a big, goofy grin. I figured that the fact that I prevented Jacob from turning into a giant wolf and attacking him had something to do with his change in demeanor.

"Hey, Denae, the vampire slayer and wolf tamer!" Emmett laughed. "Nice move with the tree branch. That's pretty gutsy for a human!"

I grinned back at Emmett, deciding that I liked him. "Or stupid," I replied.

He laughed and put his arm around the blonde. "Say hi, Rose." He said happily.

"Hi," she huffed out, crossing her arms. I could tell she disliked me, but it really didn't bother me very much. Being friends with vampires wasn't high up on my priorities.

"And that is Jasper and Alice," Edward finished. Jasper, the blonde curly haired vampire nodded, but continued scanning the room peering into the faces of each person. Bella had told me about Alice, but the petite vampire with short black hair didn't seem to fit the description Bella gave. Bella said she was happy and bubbly, but she glared at me with narrowed eyes and crossed arms. I just raised my eyebrows and looked back towards Edward.

"Why don't we sit down?" Carlisle suggested, and everyone settled into the expensive looking furniture in the huge living room.

"We have some questions," Alice said, once everyone had taken a seat. "And you need to clear some things up." Her tone was accusing and her eyes told me she didn't trust me.

Jacob spoke, surprising me. "Don't speak to her that way." A protective arm came around my shoulder. I frowned at his defensiveness. I could stick up for myself.

"I'll be glad to answer any questions you have," I said, in the most polite tone I could muster.

"How did you actually know about Victoria?" Alice said, leaning forward slightly. "The truth, this time."

"Alice," Edward, said in a warning tone.

I frowned. "The story I told Bella is the truth. A-a guy I was…seeing…at the time…" I felt a bit of panic shoot through me at the thought of Grant. Jacob's arm pulled me closer to him. I took a deep breath and continued. "…apparently did a lot of work with…your kind. People who I now realize were vampires were always in and out. Victoria was one of them. I don't know how he knew about vampires or what he did. He was incredibly secretive about it. She had sought him out with questions about an army. She, um, found out about me and decided she wanted me for her army, because she thought I'd have some sort of power."

"I don't know if we can trust you," Alice said, leaning back in her seat. "We have no way to know if you are on Victoria's side. Her involvement with your boyfriend," Jacob growled next to me. "or, ex-boyfriend or whatever, is rather suspicious."

I felt my jaw drop in shock. "Excuse me?" Anger began to well up inside of me.

Alice's eyes narrowed. "I just want to protect Bella from any danger."

I stood up quickly. "I would never put Bella in danger; I think I proved that today. If I hadn't done what I did, Victoria would have gotten to her. You're a **bloodsucker** with special abilities, yet **I** was the one to save her life." I said, using the word I had heard Jacob and the pack call vampires.

Alice's tiny frame shot up. "I can't see you and I can't see her when she is with you! I have no way of knowing if she is okay. I can't trust you."

Jacob stood up next to me, clearly on the verge of phasing. I grabbed his hand, trying to calm both of us down, and I was surprised when a wave of calm and peace washed over me. I looked, and saw that Alice still had her furious stance, and Jasper was staring intently at me and Jacob. In fact Jacob and I were the only ones in the room who seemed relaxed.

We both sat back down and I realized that my emotions were being manipulated. I frowned, and started to get angry again, only for the feelings to be wiped away completely a moment later. I glared at Jasper. "Stop it." I said to him. "Stop messing with my emotions. If you are going to calm anyone down, use it on her." I pointed to Alice. I felt surprise hit me suddenly, like a ton of bricks, and then it was gone.

"Uh, sorry?" he said, unsure.

"Don't manipulate my emotions like that. I have every right to be angry, and I don't appreciate it. I understand how your ability can be…useful…in certain situations, but I don't like being controlled." I glared at him. The Cullens all exchanged looks, but I kept my gaze steady, crossing my arms, daring one of them to disagree with me.

After a few silent, tense moments had passed, and I didn't feel any of my emotions being manipulated I could tell I made my point. I turned to Alice. "Now, why don't you ask Edward and Dr. Feel-good over there if I'm telling the truth?" I knew I was being a little rude, but I didn't care. I needed them to see that just because I was a human, they couldn't take advantage of me. "My emotions and thoughts should make that obvious. Just because you can't see Bella when she is with me, doesn't mean you can't trust me. Victoria killed my brother." My voice broke as I said this. The anger began to fade, and sorrow took its place. "Chase was all I had, and she took him from me. I would rip her to shreds and kill her myself if I could."

"She's telling the truth," Jasper said softly.

"She is, Alice." Edward added. "I told you she was. Jasper and I would know if she was trying to hide something. She's been nothing but honest and has gone out of her way to help us and keep Bella safe, even though she is still wary of us, rightly so I might add. Let it go, she answered your questions."

Alice sat down, and looked away, staying silent. Jacob let out a breath he had been holding and I felt him relax next to me. I was proud that he stayed so calm through that, and glad he let me take care of myself. I spoke up after sending thoughts of gratitude towards Edward. "Bella tells me the future is subjective and you can't see the pack in your visions." I said, struggling to keep my voice steady. "I'm thinking that b-because of my feelings for Jacob," I squeezed his hand softly. "I make a lot of my decisions based on him, and he is usually involved in some way. That's probably why you can't see me."

"That is an excellent theory, Denae." Carlisle spoke up. "I believe the imp…" Jacob tensed again next to me, and I looked at him questionly.

"Um, yes good theory," Edward interrupted quickly, glancing from me to Jacob to Carlisle. "But that's now what we need to talk about. We need to discuss this army."

I sighed, turning my attention back to the group in front of me. "She told me it was an army of newborn vampires. She's using them because they're stronger or something?" Everyone's heads turned towards Jasper. No one said anything. So, I started talking again, and told them about the rest of my supernatural experiences, why I came to Forks, and what had happened with Victoria.

A few moments of silence passed after I finished talking and then Jasper began speaking. I listened intently as he told his story of before he was a vampire, how he was changed, and the things he did after he became a vampire. The army that Victoria was building was based on the vampire war that Jasper had participated in.

"Wait," I said suddenly, after Jasper had told his story. "Are you…Whitlock?" I asked looking up at him with my eyebrows furrowed. A memory of my past with Grant came bubbling to the surface.

Jasper nodded slowly. "How did you know that?"

I blinked a few times. "O-one day, I was cleaning, and I came across some papers. It had your name on it. I didn't look at it very closely, I just remember it said Whitlock, and something about the wars in the south." I shuddered as I thought about the consequence of me finding those papers and Jacob's grip tightened around me and he began to lightly run his fingers up and down my arm in a soothing motion. He always knew when I needed him, and I leaned into him a little bit further, replacing the bad memories with thoughts of love for Jacob.

"So, she knows at least a little about our pasts," Jasper said. "I bet she probably understands how your power works, Alice. She's probably intentionally not making up her mind so you can't see it."

Alice nodded. "I figured that, but something changed tonight. She's made a decision. They'll be here in four weeks."

Jasper leaned in closer to Alice. "How many are there?"

"I-I can't be sure. Maybe a dozen?" Alice said, shaking her head.

Suddenly, everyone began talking at once, but too low for Bella or I to hear. We exchanged glances and both rolled our eyes, which was our only form of silent communication. Jacob stood up, suddenly. "We need to go," he pulled on my arm lightly. "Come on."

"Jake!" Bella said. "Wait!"

"No, I've heard enough. I need to tell the pack about this." Jacob said firmly.

"Jacob," Edward began.

"No, Edward. Jacob is right. He needs to inform Sam and the rest of the pack about this. They have every right to know and prepare for the upcoming events." Carlisle reasoned. "Plus, both Denae and Bella are exhausted. They need to rest."

I stood then; ready to leave the Cullen's house. I really liked Carlisle, Esme, Edward and even Emmett. However, Rosalie was still giving me a judgmental look, I didn't trust my own emotions with Jasper in the room, and Alice was now completely avoiding my gaze. I would much rather be in my cozy little house full of boisterous shape-shifters who I knew liked me.

"Thank you Carlisle," I said, hoping to sound as sincere as possible.

"You're very welcome, Denae." Carlisle replied. "I thank you for protecting Bella today, as well as speaking with our family and confirming a few things. I know it isn't easy for you, and we are grateful for your help."

I smiled. "Anytime," I turned towards Bella. "Can we hang out sometime soon?" I asked.

She glanced up at Edward who smiled in return. "Of course! If Jacob doesn't care…" she trailed off.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, come on. Do you really think I'd listen to him? I do what I want." I smiled up at him, letting him know I was joking. "I'm not afraid of the big bad wolf."

Jacob raised his eyebrows in response, and I heard Emmett chuckle from behind me. "Bells, you could take some lessons from her. She kinda reminds me of you, Rose." I heard a loud crack, and glanced over to see Rosalie glaring at Emmett as he rubbed the back of his head.

I turned then to Esme. "It was nice to meet all of you. You have a lovely home." I said in an attempt to remain pleasant and turn the bizarre situation in to a somewhat normal one.

"Well thank you, it was very nice to meet you too." Esme smiled. "Jacob, we appreciate you doing this for us."

Jacob grunted in reply. I could tell he was actually okay with Esme. But then again, I think everyone liked Esme. After a few more goodbyes, and expressions of gratitude from Edward, Jacob and I walked out the door.

"How are we getting home?" I asked.

"We're walking to the road, and then Leah will be there with a car." Jacob explained, and then promptly picked me up. I sighed and wrapped my good arm around his neck. "Denae," Jacob began.

"Yeah?" I laid my head on his shoulder.

"Please, don't ever do that to me again." He whispered. I peered up at him in the dark.

"What?" I asked.

"The whole, putting yourself in danger thing." He said. "I wouldn't be able to go on if anything happened to you. I almost died when I saw you hit her with that branch, and then in there you were picking fights with vampires…not to mention one of them is apparently a killing machine."

"I'm sorry I worried you," I said. "But, I saw she was about to attack you. I just…acted. I didn't want anything to happen to you. And I was just sticking up for myself in there. I don't like being told what to do." I frowned.

"Let me do the protecting, okay?" he said. "No more selflessly jumping in front of deranged vampires to protect others, and no more hitting them with tree branches to protect beings that were designed to kill them." He paused. "But, I will admit, the bloodsucker comment in the living room a little bit ago was awesome. I'm so proud. The pack will go nuts when they hear that one. And, I think you totally surprised the blonde guy. Dr. Feel-good? That was very clever. If I wasn't about to rip his head off I would have been laughing hysterically."

I smiled and yawned. "I should think before I speak more often."

I felt his chest shake slightly with laughter. "Maybe," he replied. "But, that's one of the things that I love about you."

I felt my cheeks burn at that and my heart sped up, just as it did every time Jacob said something like that.

I closed my eyes and felt the stress from the day begin to take its toll. Worry and trepidation about Victoria and the severity of the upcoming war settled heavily in my chest. However, I was surprised when another feeling rose inside of me. I felt safe. It overwhelmed all of the stress and concern and allowed me to slowly begin to fall asleep as Jacob and I waited for Leah to show up with the car. I was anxious, and scared, of course; but I also felt safe. Jacob's arms effortlessly held me close to him, and I focused on the warm feel of his skin and the steady, quick cadence of his heartbeat as I breathed in his fresh, earthy smell that reminded me so much of the forest that surrounded us. He sporadically placed soft kisses on the top of my head, cheek, and forehead. With each passing moment I knew that no matter what danger lurked out there, I was safe. As long as I had Jacob, I'd be just fine.


	14. Chapter 13: Supernatural

A/N: Hello my fabulous readers! I hope everyone is having a great week, and is excited for another update. Um, I will say please don't be mad at me! :) You love me, remember? haha! Thanks to the reviewers, you all make my day and thanks to the silent subscribers also! Let me know what you think! No copyright infringement is intended--all recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**GREAT NEWS! The Cure has been featured on The Good Side of Mary Sue. The fabulous sicklystunning operates this terrific website with only the BEST fanfiction stories with only the BEST female OCs. Looks like Denae made the cut! :) I am so pumped about this, and I want you all to go check it out! thegoodmarysure(dot)webs(dot)com under the blog section.**

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**THE CURE **

**Chapter 13**

**Supernatural-Daughtry**

_Every step I've taken has led me here to where you are_  
_But all that I believe in is keeping me from seeing too far_  
_Throwing out the questions, waiting for the right reply_  
_Looking for the answers, tell me will it be tonight?_

_But now it's too late, it's taking over me_  
_It feels so supernatural and I'm pulled the other way_  
_It's more than I can take and I'm losing hold of everything_  
_When it's more than physical it's kind of hard to see beyond the glow_  
_And no matter how I try you know I can't deny_  
_'Cause you feel so supernatural_**  
**

The sun was streaming through the window, and I squinted as I looked around the unfamiliar room. I sat up, rubbing my eyes, confused as to why I was waking up in a bed that was not mine, in a room that I had never seen before. Even the rays of sun that slipped through the curtains in the small window surprised me. I questioned if I was even still in Washington; it had been a long time since the skies had been clear.

I got out of the bed quickly and looked down. I was wearing a grey t-shirt that was way too big for me. I faintly remembered Leah helping me change into one of Jacob's t-shirts and a pair of her athletic shorts before I fell back into a deep sleep. I didn't even realize I wasn't at home when I feel asleep, but as I looked around I realized that I was in Leah's room. It was neat, and the walls were mostly bare with the exception of a photograph of Leah, Seth, and a man I figured was their father. In a corner there was a small collection of hair products and some make up that looked like they hadn't been touched in a while.

A soft knock came to the door and then it opened slowly. I looked up and saw Leah standing in the doorway, holding a backpack. "Good morning," I greeted in a scratchy voice.

"More like good afternoon," she replied. "You've been sleeping all day. Not that I blame you, you had a crazy day yesterday." She entered the room with silent footsteps. "Did you sleep alright?"

I nodded and stretched a little, ignoring the throbbing in my wrist. "Yeah, thanks. Is this your room?"

"Yeah," she sat the backpack down on the bed. "We had a really long pack meeting last night after you met with the bloodsuckers. Jacob wasn't comfortable leaving you alone at your house while he was in La Push, so we brought you here." She motioned to the backpack. "I went and got you some clothes and stuff for you to change into. I brought your car over, too. There's some medicine in the bag too, just in case your wrist hurts." She paused. "Billy, Jake's dad, is on his way over, and my mom is here. If you want, you can take a shower and then Billy said he would explain some of the legends that Jacob wants you to hear."

I looked up. "I have to meet Jacob's father?" I suddenly got nervous. "Is Jacob here?"

She shook her head. "He's on patrol until later tonight. Don't be nervous." She rolled her eyes. "Billy already likes you because Jake does."

I bit my lip and stayed quiet, still very nervous to meet Billy.

"Are you serious?" Leah interrupted my thoughts with a snort. "You'll attack a bloodsucker with a tree branch and yell at a roomful of them, but you're afraid to meet Billy Black? That's just stupid."

"No, it's not!" I defended, and Leah rolled her eyes again. I paused and then let out a small laugh. "Okay, you're right. It's pretty dumb."

She smiled at me, and I caught a glimpse of what Leah was like before she had gone through the heartache with Sam. She was beautiful and exotic looking and had a huge smile that reminded me of Seth. Ever since I had heard about how Sam had left Leah for Emily, and now Leah had to be in Sam's pack, follow his orders, and see his thoughts, my heart went out to her. I liked Emily a lot, but I didn't like Sam for what he did to Leah. I didn't understand how he could do that to Leah when he saw how much it hurt her, but attributed it to the fact that he was just a jerk. He was always so stern and serious, and I had rarely ever seen him smile. I kept my distance from him, afraid I'd end up saying something I regretted.

"Alright, you better get moving though," she said as her hardened, bitter wall went back up. "You look like crap."

"You're so sweet," I muttered as I opened the backpack and examined its contents.

"Bathroom's the first door on the right," she called as she walked down the hallway.

I took a couple of the pills that were in my backpack and then headed to the bathroom. I could smell something cooking and my stomach growled. "Shower first," I muttered to myself as I entered the bathroom.

I took my time letting the warm water ease my sore muscles and I shampooed my hair twice, making sure I got all of the tangles out of it. I was happy to see my cuts were very minor, and wouldn't require band aids. My wrist was still grossly swollen and bruised, and I had a hard time not using it. I got out of the shower, awkwardly drying myself with one hand, being sure to keep my sprained wrist still. I towel dried my hair as much as I could, and left it wavy and slightly damp. It took me a while to get dressed, and I struggled with the button on my jeans, wincing in pain as I gave in and used my injured hand. My shoulder ached at the motion and tears came to my eyes, but I pushed it aside. I attempted to rewrap my wrist, but didn't do a very good job.

I repacked my backpack and folded Leah's shorts neatly, setting them on the counter. I took a deep breath and opened up the bathroom door. I hesitantly followed the enticing scent of food cooking towards what I assumed was the kitchen.

"Feel better?" Leah asked from a couch in the living room.

I nodded. "Much better. Thank you."

"Mom made you some food. She and Billy are in the kitchen."Leah stood and gestured towards a doorway. I walked through it in front of her.

A woman with graying hair looked up from where she was putting food onto plates. She gave me a small smile that reminded me of the smile Leah had given me earlier. I smiled back, and moved my eyes to the kitchen table. Billy was seated in a wheel chair, looking at me with an unreadable expression on his face. I had seen that same look on Jacob's face before. He had long black hair and his eyes had lines around them from years of smiling, but he wasn't smiling at the moment.

"Denae, this is my mom, Sue, and Jacob's dad, Billy," Leah said in a bored tone.

I pushed away my nerves and walked towards Billy with what I hoped appeared as confidence. I gave him a big smile as I reached out my hand towards him. "Hello, Mr. Black. I'm Denae Walters."

Billy looked at my hand for a moment before his face broke out into a huge grin. I blinked in surprise because it was the same warm grin that Jacob had. "I know who you are," he said as he took my hand. He reached up and gave me a small hug. "Please, call me Billy." He let go of my hand. "You don't know how happy I am to finally meet you, Denae. I have been bothering Jacob for weeks now to introduce us."

I felt relief wash over me and I released a breath that I hadn't realized I had been holding. I sat down in the chair next to Billy and smiled back at him. "It's great to finally meet you too, Billy." I said. "Jacob has told me so much about you." I smiled at him. Billy seemed so strong and his demeanor demanded respect. It was a lot like Jacob. Even when Jacob was completely goofing off, people still respected him.

"I've heard a lot about you, too." Billy chuckled. "In fact, I'm not sure if I've heard about anything but you for the past few months."

I blushed. "Uh, oh. I'm not sure that's a good thing."

Billy laughed lightly. "Oh, I'm pretty sure it is a great thing." His smile faltered for a moment and he leaned in. "In fact, I know it's a great thing. You made my son smile again." He winked at me. I felt my cheeks warm even more as I gave Billy a bashful smile.

"The rest of the boys aren't much better," Sue spoke up as she set a plate in front of me with a smile. "I can barely get Seth to come for dinner. He'd rather be hanging out at your house." She stuck out her hand. "I'm Sue Clearwater, it's really nice to meet you Denae."

I shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you, too. I'm sorry Seth's been gone so much."

She waved her hand to dismiss my apology. "Don't be. You are the reason he is passing his classes. I can't thank you enough for that."

"Oh, it's no problem." I said. "Seth's a smart kid."

Sue nodded. "He sure is." She handed me a fork. "I hope roast is okay with you."

"It sounds fantastic," I said happily. "It looks and smells delicious."

Sue, Billy, and Leah chatted as we ate. I stayed quiet, too busy eating the amazing food that Sue had cooked. They openly talked about the pack phasing and about vampires, so I knew Sue and Billy knew everything that had happened yesterday. After everyone had finished, Leah and Sue washed our plates, refusing any help from me. Then, Sue rewrapped my wrist with ease that made me realize she had probably done it before. Leah looked at the clock and sighed. "I have to go patrol," she said with a scowl on her face.

Sue sighed. "Be careful, Leah."

Leah walked towards the door with another sigh. "Don't worry about me, Mom."

With that, Leah was gone, and I turned towards Sue and Billy, an awkward silence filling the room.

"Jacob tells me that you want to hear some of our legends," Billy said in a serious tone. "There is one in particular he would like me to tell you."

I sat back and listened as Billy spoke. I was mesmerized by his words. I felt as if I was there, when it was happening. I listened to the story of the spirit warriors and the power they possessed. I was absolutely captivated by the story of Taha Aki. The way Billy told his story made me feel the emotions Taha Aki felt when Utlapa took his body, and deceived his tribe. I also was able to understand why the pack hates vampires so much. The presence of vampires is what caused them to phase. When he finished the story I felt as if I understood the process of being a shape-shifter more than I had before.

When Billy finished talking, he stared intently at me for a few moments, as I sat and processed everything I had heard. "There is a reason Jacob wanted me to tell you the legends, Denae." He finally said.

I looked up at him. "Well, I can understand. They're amazing. You do such a great job telling them, too."

Billy gave me a small smile. "Thank you," he said. "But, he wanted me to tell you so you can understand that becoming a wolf isn't just a myth that has somehow come to life. The Quileute people have magic that run through them. This magic is powerful and has been passed through generations. Our people believe what happens to them is their destiny." Billy said. "Do you understand that?"

I nodded in response. I was looking at things with a different eye now. There was a bigger purpose behind what Jacob and the pack do.

"There is one more thing about being a shape shifter that Billy hasn't shared." Sue spoke up.

I looked up at her, surprised. "What's that?"

"It's called imprinting," Billy said slowly. "This is something that happens to the members of the pack that makes them stronger. It is when they find their soul mate, Denae."

My eyebrows came together in confusion. "Soul mate?"

Billy nodded slowly. "After phasing for the first time, when they see their imprint, something happens. It cannot be forced. Those who have imprinted say that it is as if gravity shifts, they feel warm all over, and all ties to everything else are severed. It's like love a first sight, almost. All that matters is their imprint."

"Wait, you said 'those who have imprinted'. This has happened?" I asked, surprised.

Billy nodded slowly. "Yes. A few of the current pack have imprinted. For example, Sam imprinted on Emily and Jared imprinted on Kim. Perhaps you have noticed the level of dedication Sam and Jared have for Emily and Kim?"

I nodded. I knew exactly what he was talking about.

"They say it's almost like love at first sight. There is a pull towards that person. Nothing else matters but them." Billy said. "Anything the imprintee wants, they will make it happen. A sense of completeness fills both of them when they are together. They will be whatever they need their imprint to be. For example, Quil has also imprinted."

"He has?" I asked. I hadn't ever seen Quil with a girl around.

"Yes, on Claire." Billy said slowly, obviously gauging my reaction. "He has no romantic feelings towards Claire. He acts like a big brother. When Claire grows older, this may change and it is likely they will develop romantic feelings for each other. But for now, he is there to protect her and stay with her."

"Wow," I murmured softly. There was a pause, and I took the opportunity to think. I began to wonder about Jacob and I. The whole gravity shifting, completeness, and unexplainable pull I felt with Jacob really fit what Billy ways saying.

"One more member of the pack has imprinted, Denae." Sue's voice broke through my thoughts. I felt my heart begin to pick up its pace. I swallowed loudly.

"Who?" I whispered.

"Jacob," Billy said. "Jacob imprinted on you, Denae."

Billy's words crashed down around me. My feelings were all over the place. Part of me was relieved that the irrational obsession and need to be around Jacob constantly was explained by some force that was outside of my control. However, that same lack of control made me panic. I wanted to be in control of my own life, I wanted to make my own choices and now, my future was practically decided for me.

"W-what if Claire decides she doesn't want to be with Quil when she gets older?" I asked, suddenly.

"What?" Billy seemed surprised by my question.

"You said Claire and Quil will probably end up having romantic feelings towards one another. You said it like it was definite. Like…like she didn't have a choice." My eyes dropped to my hands.

"She has a choice." Billy spoke carefully. "Every imprint has a choice. But it is very unlikely she will be able to resist the level of commitment he will show to her." I think Billy understood that we weren't talking about Claire and Quil anymore, and were talking about me and Jacob.

"B-but she still gets to decide her own future?" I asked.

"Yes. But no matter what, Quil will have a part of it." Billy said.

"Why?" I asked.

"It is very hard for a shape-shifter to be away from their imprint." Billy said. "Even going one day without seeing them is difficult. They have to be a part of their imprint's lives, and see them, and be around them, or else they'll grow very depressed and can even experience physical pain."

I didn't say anything, and a few minutes went by before anyone spoke again. I thought about the few weeks when Jacob and I didn't see each other. I had experience physical pain. My stomach twisted in to knots and it literally felt as if my heart hurt.

"Denae, what are you thinking?" Billy asked.

I couldn't tell Billy that I had no idea what I was thinking. I couldn't focus on one thought, and I began to panic. I felt trapped. I loved Jacob, but now I know that the love didn't come from my own free will, I was questioning all of it. The total feeling of everything being unknown just doubled my panic.

"I-I think I need to go." I said and stood quickly. "I need to think." I was doing what I always did when I was scared. I shrunk back behind an emotional wall and I ran.

"Denae, please let's talk about this." Billy said, wheeling away from the table.

"I…I just need to be alone for a little bit so I can process this. Finding out I've lost control of my future is a lot to handle." I said quickly.

"You haven't lost control, sweetheart." Sue said softly.

"No, I have." I looked at her. "I just need to think. Billy, thank you for telling me the legends. It was so nice meeting you. Thank you for letting me stay and for dinner, Sue."

Billy gave me a wary look. "Are you sure you are okay? Jacob will be over here any moment to talk to you about this."

I began to get frantic. Jacob was the last person I needed to see right now. "No! I need to go. Thank you, goodbye." I grabbed my backpack and swiftly left the house. My heart was pounding.

I dug through my backpack for my keys, spilling its contents in the process. I hurriedly shoved them back into the bag, trying to get into my car before Jacob arrived. However, I suddenly felt the slight shift in my awareness that always seemed to happen when Jacob was near.

"Denae," he said. I closed my eyes. His soft, husky voice saying my name sounded perfect. I opened my eyes as I realized that it was just the imprinting that made it that way. Everything I did around Jacob was involuntary, I didn't even have control over my body's reactions to him.

"I was just leaving," muttered as I unlocked my car door, refusing to turn around, knowing I'd get lost in those beautiful brown eyes.

"Don't go. We need to talk. I know the imprinting thing is a big surprise." He said. His words wrapped around me, drawing my attention away from the panic I felt. My skin was tingling in anticipation as he neared me. I couldn't hear his footsteps, but it was as if my body knew right where he was. I had to force myself not to jump into his arms when I could feel his warm skin, just an inch away from my own as he came to a stop behind me. A warm hand touched my arm lightly, and sent small shocks through my skin.

"I need to be by myself," I said, my voice trembling as I spoke.

Jacob's hand left my arm and I instantly missed the contact. I almost groaned in frustration. . I had totally lost control over myself, and I didn't like that. Jacob had a lot of power over me, and even though I knew he wouldn't hurt me, it scared me. "Denae," he said my name again, and an involuntary shudder ran through me.

I opened my door. "Time, Jacob." I said, refusing to meet his eyes. "Can't you just give me some time? I need to be alone. I-I don't know if I can handle this." I got in the car quickly and slammed the door. I started the engine and backed out of the driveway.

Before I pulled away I looked up and saw Jacob staring at my car. He looked like he was in complete agony. Tears came to my eyes as I saw him crumble and fall to his knees. I slammed my foot on the gas and drove away as quickly as I could.

Slowly, rain began to fall on my windshield as the first tear streaked down my cheek. The rain began to pick up and I turned on my wipers, but my vision was still blurry from the tears. I could physically feel the distance I was putting between Jacob and I. The pull I had often felt to be where he was seemed even stronger now that I knew it was real. It seemed as like every inch I moved away from where Jacob was, the heavier my heart felt and the more I cried. As it began to pour and the sky darkened dramatically a sob ripped from my chest. I pulled over on the side of the road, just outside of La Push and began to sob and cry uncontrollably. The vision of Jacob's broken form as I drove away from him seemed to be burned into my vision, and I couldn't get the thought out of my head. I knew that hurting Jacob like I had made my stomach twist with guilt and my heart fill with sorrow. I didn't want to hurt him, but I didn't know what to do. I knew he wouldn't...or couldn't....hurt me, but my emotional scars were getting the best of me and I was so confused.

A knock came to my window. I looked up surprise, and for a moment thought Jacob was at the side of my car. Disappointment filled me when I realized it wasn't Jacob.

"Sam?"


	15. Chapter 14: Shattered

A/N: Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed, you guys are so nice! Also--thanks to everyone who put me on alert/added me to favorites. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and let me know what you think! Don't forget to stop by thegoodmarysure(dot)webs(dot)com and check out the blog section! The Good Side of Mary Sue is a website by the awesome sicklystunning that features the best fanfiction with the best female OCs and The Cure made it on there! It's very exciting! It's also a great way to find some other awesome fanfiction, I totally recommend it!

All recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. Enjoy! :)

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 14**

**_Shattered-O.A.R._**

_I had no idea that the night  
Would take so damn long  
Took it out, on the street  
While the rain still falls  
Push me back to you_

But I'm good without ya  
Yeah I'm good without you  
Yeah, yeah, yeah

How many times can I break til I shatter?  
Over the line, can't define what I'm after  
I always turn the car around  
Give me a break; let me make my own pattern  
All that it takes is some time  
But I'm shattered  
_I always turn the car around_**_  
_**

"Move over," Sam instructed in an authoritative tone.

I hesitated a moment and then climbed over the middle console into the passenger seat as Sam got in the driver's seat. He closed the door and instantly reached under the seat, scooting it away from the steering wheel. "What are you doing?" I asked through my tears.

"There's no way you're in any condition to drive. I'm glad you pulled over." He said as he put my blinker on and looked over his shoulder for any oncoming traffic. He pulled back on to the road and flipped on the windshield wipers. "I'm here to talk to you."

"I don't need to talk," I said quickly.

"No, you don't. You need to listen." Sam said.

I scowled at him. "What could you possibly have to say to me, Sam? Yeah, you've imprinted on Emily, but you've also broken Leah's heart. You're a prime example of why this whole stupid destiny, imprinting, soul mate thing is so wrong."

Sam's dark brown eyes shot to me with a glare. His nostrils flared a bit with anger, but I wasn't too worried. He hadn't begun to shake at all yet, so I knew that he was in control. "That is exactly why you need to not talk." He growled.

I reached into the glove compartment and grabbed some tissues I kept in case of an emergency. "I already know what you're going to say." I sniffed and wiped my eyes. "You're going to tell me how wonderful it is to be an imprint and how magical it is. Well I don't want to hear it. I don't care how special and amazing and all that lovey-dovey crap is. I am not in control of my own life anymore, and I don't like it." We pulled in to the drive way of his and Emily's house. There were no other vehicles out front, and all of the lights were off inside.

"Once again," Sam said as he gritted his teeth. "This is why you need to not talk." He put the car in park and turned towards me, his huge frame intimidating me just a little bit. "I'm not going to tell you about how wonderful it is to be an imprint. Because, it's not." My eyes widened a little, but I stayed silent. "And you are going to listen to what I have to say." He said, using a tone that I had heard Jacob refer to as the "Alpha" voice. It was very persuasive. He got out of my car quickly, bringing my keys with him.

I sat in the car a moment as Sam entered his house. I finally sighed and opened up my door as the freezing wind blew in my face and ice pelted me. I ran to the stairs, taking care not to move my arm or shoulder too much and had to grab on to the railing when I almost slipped on the thin coat of ice beginning to collect on the porch. It was only early November, but I could tell I wasn't going to like winter in Forks very much.

When I got in the house, the living room and kitchen lights were on. The house seemed so strange without the cheerful, loud voices of the pack mixing with the aroma of Emily's cooking filling it. I couldn't help how the guilty feeling in my stomach increased exponentially as I thought about the pack, and in turn Jacob. I had crushed him; I saw and felt his pain as I drove away.

"Have a seat, please." Sam said and the command in his voice was apparent, although masked by polite words.

I sighed and settled onto the couch as he sat in an arm chair across from me. I put my head in my hands, took a deep breath and then looked up. "I know that you're just looking out for Jacob, Sam," I winced at saying Jacob's name out loud. "But…I don't think this is going to help."

"Don't come to that conclusion before you hear what I have to say," Sam said. He let out a long sigh. "I want to start by saying that I honestly do understand where you are coming from. I know…about your past. Jacob tries to block it but it is very difficult, especially because he is so worried about you. So, I understand why you feel that way. And, you actually have it totally right. You did just lose control of making your own future."

My eyebrows came together as I looked at Sam, suspiciously. He just admitted that I was right, but I knew there was a catch.

"Imprinting is hard," he said and then paused. "Those who haven't experienced it think that it will make everything easier, because unlike regular relationships-or friendships-both people feel connected. Both people need each other. Both people love each other. Both people feel and unexplainable pull towards each other. They think that a relationship with an imprint will be much easier than a normal relationship. They are wrong.

"Imprinting is ten times more difficult than a regular relationship. It's because of this intense pull and connection that everything becomes very strained. It's so intense that it cuts off all other connections to anyone else." He paused and I could tell he was getting uncomfortable. "It ruins things."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "But you and Emily…" I began.

He held his hand up. "Yes. I love Emily, with my whole entire being. There isn't a fiber in me that doesn't love Emily. But, I was very happy with life I had before I phased and before I imprinted. You know I-I was in a relationship with Leah, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah,"

"Well, I was head over heels for Leah. We had been together through most of high school and she knew me better than anyone else." He smiled. "We would get into fights sometimes, just because she knew exactly the things to say to get me mad. She still does."

I watched in amazement as Sam lowered his eyes, a small smile still playing on his face. I could tell he really did love Leah. I felt my resolve to not listen to a thing he said being to waver.

"I was the first one to phase, and I didn't really have anyone to help me through it." He continued. "Billy had been dropping clues the weeks before it happened, but I didn't pay a lot of attention. When I phased, I freaked out. I ran for almost two weeks as a wolf, because I didn't know what has happening, and I couldn't calm down enough to phase back."

"How did you finally phase back?" I asked, curiously.

He looked up at me. "I saw my reflection in this small stream, and I saw my eyes. I knew they were my eyes. I knew that I couldn't be a horrible monster if it was still me in there. I started thinking about my human form and at the same time I came to terms with my…transformation, and the next thing I knew, I was phasing back.

"When I made it back to La Push, I talked to Billy and he explained everything, and told me I could tell no one, not even Leah." He shook his head. "She was furious and she knew something was wrong."

I could imagine that a furious Leah would not be one that I wanted to encounter. "W-what did you do?"

"I avoided her," Sam said with a guilty face. "I knew that I wouldn't be able to keep the truth from her, and I was still having a lot of trouble controlling when I phased. But, after a few weeks, I couldn't stand it anymore. I decided I wanted to be with Leah forever. I was going to go to her house, ask her to forgive me, and ask her to marry me."

I let out a little gasp at Sam's revelation and leaned forward a little, anxious to hear the rest of the story.

"I showed up at her house. I didn't realize her family was having a get-together. When I got there, Leah hadn't gotten home yet." He paused. "So, I went to leave, but when I was walking out that's when I…I saw…" his breath caught in his throat. "Emily." The way he said Emily's name struck me. It was as if just her name alone made him happy. The look in his eyes told me he was thinking back to that day. "She was so perfect. Everything just stopped. Nothing mattered, at all anymore, expect for her. Everything shifted, and she was my gravity." He shook his head, and blinked his eyes, disconnecting himself from the memory. He looked at me. "I didn't ask for it to happen to me, it just did.

"I was so confused, for quite a while. I tried to stay away from Emily, but I couldn't. I physically got sick, and wolves can't get sick. So I tried to spend a little time with her each day, and to keep it just as friends. But, I found that I was in love with her, more than just as an imprint. I knew I had to break up with Leah." He hung his head down, and I was glad I couldn't see his eyes. The pain in his voice told me enough.

"I felt so horrible, Denae. I still do. Leah still means the world to me, and the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt her. But I knew I couldn't resist the imprinting any more. I knew, eventually I'd hurt Leah. I wanted to give her a chance to get over it, move on and have a great life without me. And she was almost there, before she phased." He sighed. "But I couldn't help it," his face looked up at me and I felt tears form in my eyes at the pain in his face. "There wasn't a thing I could do. I belonged with Emily.

The imprint tied me to her and gave me the compulsion to do whatever it took to keep her happy. But…it was all Emily that I fell in love with." He gave a small, sad smile. "I think, even without the imprint, she'd be my perfect match. It was just the imprint that brought us together, because without it, we probably wouldn't have been together. I-I went to her and explained everything, and told her I broke up with Leah. Emily was scared, she thought I was lying, and told me how terrible I was for hurting Leah. I-I got mad. She was rejecting me and I couldn't control myself any longer. I phased, and I was too close to her. I gave her those scars, Denae. I hurt her."

My jaw dropped as I stared at Sam. "Oh, Sam." I said under my breath and I jumped up from my spot on the couch and sat on the coffee table in front of him. I tentatively rested one hand on his arm.

"I hate myself." He said suddenly, looking up at me with tears in his eyes. "I hurt Leah, I hurt Emily, and both of them are still scarred-emotionally and physically-because of me."

"You can't hate yourself, Sam. You said it yourself, you couldn't help it; it was the imprinting. It's all just involuntary." I tried to comfort him.

"But I still hurt the two most important people in my life," he shook his head.

"Sometimes, it's easiest to hurt the people who mean the most to us," I said softly. "But, I see how happy you make Emily. I can tell by the way she acts, she wouldn't want to be anywhere else but with you." I paused for a minute. "Leah is really in a tough situation. She may have tried to move on after you, but now she can't, since she's a part of your pack. I-I'm not trying to step in on your position as Alpha or anything like that, but I think when you are able to, when this whole bloodsucker threat is over," Sam smiled at my use of the derogatory term "Let Leah go."

He looked up at me with a curious gaze. "What?"

"Let her know she can leave, and do her own thing," I said, keeping my tone gentle. "Time will be the only thing that can heal Leah's wounds. But, time spent inside of your head, hearing your thoughts, and you hearing hers are only making it worse. I think you should tell Leah she can stop patrolling with the pack once things are settled down, let her know she's not tied down to La Push, and let her find her own happy ending." I smiled. "Does that make sense?"

Sam looked down at his hands and nodded. "Yes, absolutely. I know how much she hates being stuck here with me, and the pack, but I think if I told her that she could leave to do her own thing, she could find it in herself to forgive me. That's what she really wants." He looked up at me and smiled. "You know, Billy says the imprint is designed to make stronger wolves, and I absolutely agree."

I couldn't help the smile that crossed my face at the lovesick look on Sam's face. I once again knew he was thinking about Emily. "How?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. "How do you know?"

He thought for a moment before he answered. "You know, I'm really not supposed to be the Alpha, someone else is. I'm just it because I phased first."

"Who?" I asked, interested by the glint in Sam's eye.

"Jacob," he answered.

My eyebrows shot up. "What?"

"Jacob's great grandfather, Ephraim Black, was the Alpha of his pack, and it's passed down by lineage." Sam explained. "Jacob was offered it when he phased, but he turned it down. But, he is still a leader. I can see how you fit as his imprint. How you would make him stronger, if he was Alpha." He sat back and crossed his arms. "I know you've seen it too."

"Seen what?" I said, starting to get uncomfortable with where the conversation was heading.

"How perfect of a match you and Jacob are," Sam said. "Look, even just now, you were able to convince me, the Alpha of the pack, that I should do something other than what I had planned." He gave me a smirk. "But it's more than that. Surely you've noticed that Jacob is the only one to break through that tough, independent front that you put up."

I rolled my eyes, trying to avoid looking at Sam, because he'd know he was right. "Oh, please,"

"Maybe you've seen how somehow, even though his is a foot and a half taller than you and three times your size, when he holds you, you fit perfectly."

"Gosh, what are you, a romance novelist? Come on, Sam." I snorted as I felt my cheeks beginning to burn.

"Or you may have noticed that he's the only one who understands your sense of humor." Sam continued. "And he's the one who actually likes how stubborn and independent you are." He leaned forward. "How he is the only one who can make you say and do what you really feel, instead of what you think will make others comfortable. Everything about him, even his flaws, fits perfectly with you."

"Just because we get along well," I said nervously, and then looked at Sam.

"I know you see it, Denae. It's impossible not to."

I bit my lip. "Okay, yes. You're right. I see it." I finally said. "B-but it just scares me."

"Why?"

"Because that means he has power over me. I can't control what I say, do, or feel any more and I don't think you understand how much that scares me." I whispered.

"Look at me, Denae." I sighed and then looked up. "What you need to understand is that yes, Jacob does have that power over you, but you have even more power over him. He will do whatever it takes to make you happy, for the rest of his life. I'm not saying it will be perfect. Emily and I still fight sometimes, but I know, and she knows, that no matter what, in the end we'll be okay." He paused. "I know you think you're being forced into this, against your will. But, you need to look at it differently. You're really just living your destiny. You are bigger than constantly hiding and running away from the things that scare you. You know that—look what you did to the red head in the woods—you're tough. Jacob is what will allow you to be that person again, and what will let you do what you are destined to do."

"And what's that?" I asked quietly. "What am I destined to do?"

"I don't know, you don't know, and Jacob doesn't know. No one does. The only thing you can do is go along with it, and let Jacob make you happy." He paused. "I know you love him, Denae. And you have no idea how much he loves you. For once in your life, let yourself be happy. You haven't had it easy, but I promise you Jacob will make you happy."

I sat on the coffee table and looked down at my feet. I thought about Sam's words with an open mind. Then, my thoughts turned to Jacob, and instantly I knew Sam was right. Sam didn't have it easy either, and he still doesn't, but he knows he's okay because he has Emily. I chewed on my lip in a very Bella-like fashion and thought about how everything in my life had led me to this point. It had all brought me to sitting on the coffee table in front of Sam Uley, in La Push, Washington while an army of vampires planned their attack on my new friend Bella. The events were so illogical with the way my life was, yet they all fit.

I looked up at Sam. "You're right," I whispered. My chest tightened. I needed to find Jacob. "I have to see him," I stood.

"Follow the pull," Sam said simply. "Just let your heart tell you where he is."

I nodded and grabbed my keys from where he held them up in front of me. I ran to the door and then tuned to Sam. "Thank you so much, Sam. I'm sorry I was so mean at the beginning."

Sam smiled. "No, thank you, Denae. I brought you here to tell you what to do, and instead I learned a lot from talking with you, and not just at you. Now, go find your werewolf."

I smiled and opened the door, ignoring rain and ice mix that fell from the sky and drenched my hair, skin and clothes as I jogged to my car. I started it up, backed up and sat at the end of the driveway. I had no idea where to go, how could I find him? I glanced at the clock and gasped when I realized it was 1 am. I groaned. It was stupid of me to try and find him tonight. I'd just have to wait until tomorrow.

I sighed as I started to drive home, but couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. The further I drove from La Push, the stronger the feeling became until I couldn't push it away any longer. I pulled over and thought about what Sam said. "Follow the pull."

I turned the car around and drove back into La Push, without a destination in mind. I felt the bad feeling begin to fade, and be replaced with something else, something that I couldn't name, but I liked that feeling and I let it lead me all the way to First Beach. I parked the car, and gasped as I saw a figure standing by the water, out in the frigid conditions outside.

I didn't need to see the person's face to know who it was. My heart told me.


	16. Chapter 15: Truly, Madly, Deeply

A/N: Did you guys know that I have the most AMAZING reviewers?! I really do, it's true! Thanks guys! :) All publicly recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer, no copyright infringement is intended.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 15**

**_Truly, Madly, Deeply -Savage Garden_**

_I'll love you more with every breath_  
_Truly, madly, deeply do_  
_I will be strong _  
_I will be faithful_  
_'cause I'm counting on_

_A new beginning_  
_A reason for living_  
_A deeper meaning, yeah_

_I wanna stand with you on a mountain_  
_I wanna bathe with you in the sea_  
_I wanna lay like this forever_  
_Until the sky falls down on me_**_  
_**

He stood there with his back to me. It became very apparent to me in that instant that he was the only person I would ever let have any sort of power over me. Because I knew that I had that same power over him. The strong connection between he and I seemed so obvious in that moment that I wondered how I hadn't figured it out before. But despite it all, there was one thing I was absolutely certain of.

Jacob Black was my only reason for living. And I was his.

I could feel the draw to him, like it was a tangible object. Every cell in my body screamed that I belonged in Jacob's arms and nowhere else. I understood the link we had and I knew that I couldn't live without him. I not only knew that I was his, but he was mine. It was deeper than anything I had ever felt before. There were no words that could give justice to how beautiful it was.

My body began to move on its own accord and I gave no conscious thought to it as I threw the door to my car open and jumped out, almost slipping on the slick ground. I slammed the door shut, expecting him to turn around, but he didn't. He just stood, looking out at the water. I could barely see him in the dark, but I knew he was there.

I didn't hesitate as I ran down the rocky beach towards him. I kept losing my footing, but I refused to slow down. I was still a few feet away when my right foot slipped out from underneath me and I began to fall. I closed my eyes and winced, ready for impact when I felt the warmth wrap around my waist and pull me up against a solid, warm body. I gasped, but kept my eyes closed as I circled my arms around him.

"Jacob," I whispered. I forgot about the piercing cold wind around me, all I could feel was Jacob's warmth. He protected me from it, and I felt peace spread throughout me. I gripped him closer to me, glad he was practically indestructible, so it wouldn't hurt him.

"Oh, Denae." His voice was thick as he lifted me up. My light blue eyes met his deep brown ones and we took a moment just to absorb the emotion we saw. He moved one hand and traced my jaw line slowly. The action made every inch of my skin light on fire. His husky voice broke as he spoke, "Y-you're here,"

I nodded. "I'm here,"

"You know, you have a choice." He said softly. He closed his eyes, ending the intense gaze we had started. "You don't have to do anything; you don't have to be here with me. You don't…"

I wrapped my arms around his neck and crushed my lips to his. I felt every bit of anxiety leave his body as he kissed me back. One arm kept me lifted up and pulled close to him and his other hand tangled in my damp hair as I did the same to his with both of my hands. I felt his tongue trace my bottom lip and I sighed as I opened my mouth to allow him access. After a few more heated moments, I needed to breathe, and I regretfully pulled away. I kissed his cheek, and then moved down his jaw, unable to keep my lips off of him as I struggled to catch my breath. "I. Choose. You." I said in between kisses. I leaned in and gave him another passionate kiss before I pulled back and placed both of my hands on his face. "Always."

The glorious smile that I found myself always searching for broke out on his face as he let out a small laugh. He spun around and I laughed with him as he shouted with joy. He stopped spinning and I felt a little dizzy from the combination of the motion and utter and complete happiness. "I love you," he said, catching his breath. He licked his lips, and then his smile was back. "I love you!" he said, shouting this time.

I laughed again at his exuberance. His smile was exactly what I needed. I was so happy, simply because he was. "I love you, too. Jacob, I'm so sorry, I got scared and ran like I always do." I looked down, guilt flooding in and washing away the happiness that had filled me only moments before. Jacob gently lifted my chin and I found myself unable to look anywhere but into his eyes. "But I'm never running away again, unless you're with me." I tried to smile. "I'm yours."

Jacob's smile turned into an intense look that made my breath catch in my throat. "You're mine," he repeated softly as he kissed the side of my neck. I swallowed hard and felt my heart pick up at those words. "And I'm yours." He moved his hand so it grabbed mine and placed it over his racing heart. "The imprint brought you to me, but it was you that made me love you. You are perfect, and I don't know if I can ever let you go."

"Then don't," I whispered. "Don't ever let me go."

I didn't want to move, I was content to just stand on the beach in Jacob's arms forever, but even Jacob's heat wasn't enough to block all of the cold that was beginning to sink in. I was totally soaked, but the rain and ice just hit Jacob, instantly melting and creating steam. I couldn't help but shiver a little as a gust of wind whipped around us.

"Let's get you dry and warm," he said, and carried me to my car. He gently sat me down in the passenger seat, giving me another quick but needy kiss. I caught my breath as he pulled away jogged over to driver's side. He started the car and turned the heat up as high as it would go. I shivered from the lack of contact with his warm skin. Without his high body temperature keeping me warm, the cold was beginning to really chill me, and I felt my teeth begin to chatter. "I can't believe I kept you out in that for so long!" he said, shaking his head. "I'm sorry."

"I-I-It's okay," I managed to get out. "I-I didn't really notice til now, because y-y-you're so warm." I started to shiver uncontrollably.

Jacob gave me a nervous look. "I hope you don't get sick…"

"I-I-I'm fine," I said and then sneezed.

"Oh, no I'm so stupid!" he said as he sped up.

"S-stop!" I said. "I'm fine." I grabbed his hand sighing a little at the warmth. "As long as you are here, I'm just fine."

He gave me a worried smile. I wrapped his warm arm around my shoulders as he sped down the road. We didn't speak, but I could almost hear the passion buzzing around us. I was soaking wet, freezing cold, and starting to get sleepy but I found none of that mattered because the most amazing man alive was mine.

When we pulled up to my house Jacob quickly ran and helped me out of the car. He attempted to shield me from the wind and rain as we walked up the steps. When we finally got into the house, Jacob didn't waste any time as he pulled me to my bedroom. He ran quickly and grabbed me a towel. "Dry off and get changed. I'm going to do the same."

I nodded, my teeth were now chattering too hard to be able to speak. I quickly dried myself off and got changed into the warmest pair of pajamas I could find. I opened up my bedroom door and walked to my laundry room, throwing my clothes right into the washer. I saw that Jacob had already done the same with his. I was getting ready to turn to go find him when two warm arms wrapped around me. My arms broke out in goose bumps from either the contact with Jacob or the surprise of his warm skin on my freezing cold body.

"You're freezing! Come on." He said, leading me to the living room. He sat and pulled me into his lap, carefully avoiding my injured arm, and wrapped a blanket around me. "I'll warm you up."

"You always do," I sighed, and rested my head in the crook of his neck. I watched his Adam's apple bob as he started talking.

"And I always will. Denae, do…do you understand what I feel for you?"

I snuggled deeper into his embrace. "Yes. Because I feel it too, I think. It's so strange, I-I can't really explain it. But now that I've stopped resisting it, it feels…perfect."

Jacob let out a long breath. "You're right. It is strange but perfect. Kind of like you." I heard the playful tone in his voice.

I moved so that I was looking at him. I raised an eyebrow. "I'm the strange one?" I asked, feigning an incredulous look. "I'm not the one transforms into an overgrown puppy every time I have a temper tantrum."

"Oh, 'puppy', real original," Jacob said with a smirk. "The dog jokes are going to get really old."

I grinned. "You better get used to them, Fido. You're stuck with me forever."

Jacob beamed down at me. "Forever, huh?"

"Yep," My heart skipped a beat at the gorgeous smile plastered on his face.

"I think I can handle that,"

"You're also going to have to agree to be my personal electric blanket," I warned. "You've warmed me right up. You've got the job."

He laughed lightly. "Oh good, a personal heater." He paused, and then his face became serious as he gazed down at me. "What made you change your mind?"

I looked down at my hands. "I talked to Sam. He told me his story, and I guess I was able to see it from his point of view." I grabbed one of Jacob's hands as I spoke. I turned it over and lightly traced the lines on his palm and let my fingers run over the rough, calloused skin. I focused my eyes on his hands as I talked, afraid to look him in the eye. "I was so afraid to just allow myself to think about it. If I would have, I would have thought about how happy you make me, and the feeling I get when you're not around, and how sad I was when you were gone for a while. I can't believe I left like that. I'm sorry, Jacob. I'm so sorry."

Jacob pulled his hand out of mine and lifted my chin so I would look up at him. "Denae," he said firmly. "The reaction you had is totally understandable. I knew that you wouldn't like it, that's why I waited so long to tell you. I guess I thought if you loved me without knowing about the imprint, maybe you'd be more likely to stay. I didn't want to lose you." His voice softened. "I've thought that too many times in the short amount of time I've known you. I just knew that I wanted to be chosen this time."

"What do you mean by this time?" I asked, confused.

Jacob sighed. "I guess this is as good of a time as ever," I just looked at him as he shifted a little and pulled me closer to him. "Before you came, I…I was a little different."

"You mean, like not a werewolf?" I teased, trying to keep the mood light. I didn't like the sad look Jacob had in his eyes.

"Well, yeah. But I was also in love with someone." He looked straight ahead. "I was in love with Bella."

"Oh," I replied, thinking that it made sense. There was obviously something more than just friendship between Bella and Jacob. I felt jealousy begin to tinge the happy feeling and I pushed it out of my mind. "That makes sense."

"At one point, Edward left her, and she was so depressed. He lied and said he didn't want her but he was really just trying to protect her." Jacob explained. He looked at me warily. "Long story short, we became friends, and I found that I fell in love with her. Edward came back and she chose him." He sighed. "I was really torn up, and angry, and just messed up over it."

"W-what happened?" I asked softly. I knew Jacob loved me, but I could see that the Bella thing had hurt him.

"You did." He smiled. "You fell into my arms and changed absolutely everything." He kissed the top of my head quickly. "That's why at first I kind of avoided you. I was trying to convince myself that my life still revolved around Bella when it was actually totally consumed with you. Then, you tried to poison me with those cookies…"

"Hey," I smiled at him lightly.

He smiled back, and continued. "And I got to know you. I found that you were nothing like Bella, and I liked it. So, I decided that I'd be whatever you needed me to be. At the time it seemed like you needed company, and a friend. So, that's what I was. But, I couldn't help but kind of want more. That's when I made those stupid comments like with the helmet." He looked down bashfully.

I laughed. "Oh yeah," I blushed a little.

"Which, for the record, the helmet thing was totally hot and those spandex were really nice." He wiggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

"Oh my gosh," I said as my face turned bright red. I buried my head in my hands. "You are crazy."

"Crazy in love with you," he replied with a laugh.

"And cheesy. You are cheesy." I looked up at him.

"Get used to it, you're stuck with me forever, remember?" he smirked.

I wrapped my arm around his neck. "Forever, huh?"

"Yep,"

"I think I can handle that." I replied happily and then leaned in and kissed him. I thought about something, and broke the kiss, much to Jacob's disappointment. "That time you stayed away from me for all those weeks…why did you do it?"

"You remember how Quil interrupted us that night?" he asked and I nodded as a smile came across my face at the memory of our first kiss. "Well, it's because a vampire was in the area. It was Victoria. She kept coming by your house, and was way too close to you for me to be comfortable with. At one point she turned to me and said 'She means a lot to you, huh?' before she ran off." He paused. "It's because she could smell that I had been over here so much, and all around you. I thought that was the only reason why she was going after you, because of me. So I thought it'd be better if I stayed away from you. I thought you'd be safer."

"Kind of like when Edward left Bella?" I asked, meekly as I looked up at him through my lashes.

He sighed. "Yes, a lot like that. I never thought I'd understand it until you were in danger." He let his hands run through my still damp hair, gently working out the tangles. "I didn't realize first of all that it would so incredibly difficult to be away from you. I was a mess. I also didn't realize that you were in more danger with me away."

"I was a mess, too," I said softly.

"I know. I made sure I had people checking on you constantly." I nodded, making the connection of how often I saw other members of the pack during that time "It hurt me even more to know that I was hurting you. Then, that night that…creep… attacked you I knew that I couldn't ever be away from you." He shrugged.

"How'd you find me that night?" I asked.

"I followed the pull,"

"That's how I found you tonight!" I said, remembering Sam's words. "It was like…something was leading me right to where you were I didn't even think about it, I just went."

Jacob nodded with a smile. "That's how I can always find you. It's really strong when you're in trouble. I follow the pull until I can pick up your scent."

"My scent?" I asked, with a slightly disgusted look on my face.

"Oh, uh it's a wolf thing," he said, looking away quickly.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, because our senses are heightened, I can find your scent…" he trailed off.

"My scent? What do I smell like?" I asked wrinkling my nose and hoping it wasn't something gross.

Jacob smiled a little. "Like…vanilla. With a hint of mint."

"I smell like vanilla with a hint of mint?"

"Yes, like the smooth delicious smell of vanilla, and in there is a mix of something cool, and calming like peppermint."

"Really?" I asked, surprised by the artistic description Jacob gave. "How odd."

He looked at me. "Why is that odd?"

"Because, I never would have thought that would be how I would smell."

"How did you think you'd smell?" He said with a laugh.

"Well, I've never given it much thought, actually." I admitted. "But you have one too; a scent or whatever." I said, thinking about the comforting smell that was always with Jacob.

"What is it?" he asked.

I leaned into him and sniffed. "Wet dog," I looked down to hide my smile

"Oh, real original!" he rolled his eyes started to pick me up off of his lap. "No heat for you then, if I smell so bad."

"No!" I said, quickly. "You're supposed to be whatever I want, and I want you to be a heater right now!" I laughed as he rolled his eyes and settled back into his seat. "Okay, you smell like the outdoors, I guess. Like, earthy like the woods, yet a little bit salty." I said, unsure.

"Salty?"

"Like…" I paused. "Like First Beach. That's what your smell reminds me of. You have the smell of the forest around it, but still the ocean smell too."

He smiled. "Do you like it?"

"Love it," I replied. "It's so comforting." I sighed and leaned my head on his chest. "It's perfect, just like you." I yawned a little and felt the exhaustion from the day's emotional rollercoaster take hold.

"Bedtime?" Jacob yawned after I did. He had to be just as, if not more, exhausted as I was after patrolling all day.

"Mmhm." We stood and walked to my bedroom. I turned towards him. "It's late and cold outside, if you don't want to run home…" I said, shyly. We both knew nothing but sleeping would happen, but with all of the emotion and intimacy from the night, I was little shy to ask.

Jacob grinned and picked me up as I screamed a little in surprise and wrapped my uninjured arm around his neck. He laughed as he turned the lights off and carried me to my bed. "I'll stay, if you insist; even though you are a cover hog." He got in the bed, under the covers and pulled me close to him. "I really think you just want me to stay so I can keep you warm."

I rolled over and rested my head on his chest, carefully arranging my wrist and shoulder where they were most comfortable. "Get used to it. You're stuck with me forever."

"Forever, huh?" I heard Jacob laugh sleepily as his hand ran lightly up and down my back.

"Yep," I replied with a yawn. "Forever."


	17. Chapter 16: She Is Love

A/N: Sorry for the delay on this chapter...but I hope you enjoy it. Thanks again to everyone who read. A special thanks to my reviewers: you make me happy! :) All publicly recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 16**

**She Is Love-Parachute **

_Ive been beaten down_  
_Ive been kicked around_  
_But she takes it all for me_  
_And I lost my faith_  
_In my darkest days_  
_she makes me want to believe_

_They call her love, love, love, love, love_  
_They call her love, love, love, love, love_  
_she is love_  
_And she is all I need_**  
**

"Seriously, is the blind fold really necessary?" I asked in an irritated tone.

"I'm just following very specific instructions," Jacob replied. I couldn't see him as he drove, but I could tell by the tone of his voice he was smiling.

"Well, who gave you these instructions?" I asked as I crossed my arms over my chest and looked in the direction of Jacob's voice.

"That's confidential information," He replied in a smug tone.

I frowned and slowly started to reach up to put the blindfold off of my face. I had just touched the material when Jacob reached over and grabbed my hand in his large one and held it. He gave it a light squeeze "Nice try," he laughed.

"I hate surprises," I said for what was probably the fifth time in the past hour. I had always hated surprises, even as a child. I would always try to find my Christmas or birthday presents. My brother Chase knew this and he loved to taunt me about knowing what I got. So, when Jacob came back from patrol this evening and told me he had a surprise for me, I had instantly started complaining. I had spent the day at home while he was on patrol, cleaning my neglected house and was looking forward to a relaxing evening with Jacob. Instead, he had rushed me to get ready quickly and took great pride in being as secretive as possible.

"I'm going to remember that. Holidays will be fun." Jacob replied happily. I felt the car turn and then slow to a stop. "We're here."

"Where is here?" I asked reaching for my blindfold again.

"Not yet!" he said as he moved my hand away from my face. He reached over and unbuckled my seatbelt. "Don't even think about reaching for that when I get out of the car. You know I can be around to your side and have you thrown over my shoulder, caveman style, before you could get it off." He warned and then kissed my cheek. I turned my head to try to distract him with a real kiss, but I heard the door open and then close before I got the chance to. I smiled to myself as I reached up and started to pull down the material.

In an instant, my door was opened and warm hands were pulling me out of the car. "_Jacob_!" I shrieked as I felt him lift up and throw me over his shoulder. "Put me down!" I laughed. I was somewhat breathless from the surprise of being thrown over his shoulder and the cold November air hitting my lungs.

"Nope," he said bouncing me a little bit. "I can't believe you actually tried to take it off. Silly girl, you don't mess with werewolves." I rolled my eyes under my blindfold. "And don't roll your eyes at me." He added.

"How did you know I was rolling my eyes? You can't see them!" I exclaimed in surprise. "More werewolf senses?"

"Nope, I know because I know you," he said in a happy tone. "I was right, wasn't I?"

"Whatever," I muttered. I felt Jacob's steps change and could tell we were walking up stairs. He set me down and then spun me around. I heard a door open and then Jacob guided me inside.

"Watch your step," he said softly. The door shut behind me, closing out the cold wind. Jacob's warm hands guided me a few more steps and then left my waist. He untied the blindfold gently, making sure he didn't pull my hair and then pulled it off in a painstakingly slow manner.

I blinked several times and looked around, but I was in a dark room and couldn't see or hear anything. I squinted into the darkness. "Where are…" I began.

Suddenly lights flipped on and a large chorus of "_Surprise_!" rang out at the same time.

I screamed and jumped a little and my hands instantly went to my mouth. I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the bright light. My heart was racing from the shock. I looked around, astonished to see Paul, Quil, Jared, Brady, Leah, Emily, Kim, Claire, and Bella standing around Emily's living room with huge smiles on their faces. I looked up and saw that a big sign had been made that said:** Happy You're Not Dead Day, Denae!** Everyone was wearing party hats and Paul kept blowing one of those obnoxious noisemakers people use to celebrate New Year's.

"What on earth?!" I gasped as everyone began laughing at me.

Jacob's arm came around my waist and he leaned down to kiss the top of my head. I looked up at him with wide eyes. My mouth was still gaping a little. He gave me a huge smile. "It's a surprise party, for you!" he said, happily. "You're really cute when you're surprised by the way. There will definitely be more surprises."

"This is for me?" I said slowly.

"Yeah!" Paul said happily as he easily jumped over the coffee table to give me a quick hug. "We all thought you were going to die after you went all badass and hit that vampire with the tree branch. But, you're alive!" He blew the noisemaker in my face as I raised my eyebrows at him. "So, we threw you a '_You're Not Dead_' party to celebrate you being alive! It's kind of like a birthday party, but way cooler." He blew the noisemaker in to Jacob's face.

Jacob grabbed the noisemaker from Paul and threw it to Quil who caught it easily. Paul jumped back over the coffee table to try and get it from Quil. I looked up at Jacob with questioning eyes. "It was actually Paul's idea that Emily put into action," Jacob explained. "When we saw you…just laying there after that leech…" he trailed off and took a deep breath to calm down. "We didn't know if you were going to be okay. Everyone was worried." He motioned to everyone standing in front of me. "We all care about you, Denae. In some way, you've impacted each of us. I know you hate surprises, but you're alive, even though we thought we had lost you, so we figured that was a good enough reason to celebrate." He kissed my check and then smiled down at me.

Everyone quieted down, waiting for my response. I stayed silent a moment, allowing the suspense to build. I looked around the room at everyone's expectant faces. I plastered a fake frown on my face. "This is…" I said and then paused dramatically. "the single most…" I paused again trying not to laugh at the disappointment on the faces of my friends. "amazing thing anyone has ever done for me! You guys are terrific!" I said happily, allowing the huge smile that had wanted to break out on my face to appear. I felt like I was floating on air at that moment because I was so overjoyed at the support from the people in front of me. It made me so happy to know that these people thought this much of me.

Everyone cheered and Claire began blowing the noisemaker that Paul had earlier. When everyone stopped cheering and laughing Emily clapped her hands. "Alright, let's eat!" At once, everyone rushed to the kitchen and it was just Jacob, Bella, and I standing in the living room.

"I'm glad you could come, Bells." Jacob said, giving her a small hug. "You stink, though."

I elbowed Jacob in the side then hugged Bella, too. "Hey, Bella, Edward let you come?"

She smiled and hugged me back. "He said he only let me come because it was for you," she paused. "He told me he can tolerate you a lot more than he can most humans; which is Edward's way of saying he likes you."

"Well good," I said happily as we walked into the kitchen. I smiled up at Jacob. "Maybe we can double date, now."

Jacob frowned and shook his head as Bella laughed. "I think we'll have to keep working on that one," she said.

We got our food and I carried my plate and Jacob's third plate that he was having trouble balancing into the living room. I sat down next to Paul on the floor. After I had set my plates down Paul threw an arm around me. "So, were you surprised, Shorty?" he grinned.

"You have no idea! I'm impressed that I didn't pass out because I was so shocked." I replied.

"You should have seen your face," Leah interjected. "You went all white and your jaw just dropped. It was hilarious. You kind of looked like a fish."

I laughed. "Thanks, Leah." I turned to Paul who still had his arm around me. "So this was your idea?"

"Sure was," he said with a smug smile on his face. Then, the smile faltered a little. "Uh, I'm not really good at the girly, sappy things like Jake is," I heard Jacob's warning growl from the kitchen. "But, I am glad that you're alright. When I saw you just laying there I was really worried. Well, worried and pissed at the stupid leech. But, you know, you're one of the only people to really give me a chance, even though sometimes I get a little worked up."

I heard Embry mutter something about the "Understatement of the year," and Paul frowned.

"Aw, here's a tissue, Paul. You're getting awfully emotional." Quil teased from the other side of Paul as he waved a tissue in Paul's face.

"Shut up, Quil!" Paul growled. "You were just as worried about her and about Jake." He pulled me into him and started to ruffle my hair. "Plus, Shorty is a badass. She's like an honorary member of the pack now."

"Get your hands off my girlfriend, Paul." Jacob said as he sat down next to me with three glasses of water for Bella, me and himself. Paul's arm instantly left my shoulders and was replaced by Jacob's.

I smiled up at Paul. "That was really nice of you to say, Paul. Thank you. And, if you ask me, I think it is very manly that you were able to say that in front of everyone, unlike some people." I leaned around and raised my eyebrows at Quil and Embry who pretending to cry loudly.

Paul laughed proudly and Quil rolled his eyes. "Oh, Shorty," he said as he handed Claire a piece of a cookie. "You know we love you!"

"We love Shorty! We love Shorty!" Claire echoed with a giggle.

I smiled and leaned against Jacob as we ate. I looked around the room at everyone. They all looked just as happy as I felt. You almost couldn't tell we were anticipating an attack from an army of vicious newborn vampires. Even Leah had a big smile on her face as she and Kim teased Jared about something. Bella looked slightly uncomfortable, probably because she knew most of the pack only saw her as the 'vampire' girl. But Quil and Embry seemed to like Bella and the three of them were talking about some random memory involving motorcycles. Paul was explaining to Brady the art of 'picking up the ladies' as he called it and Emily was warning Brady not to listen to a word Paul said. I couldn't help the huge smile that was plastered on my face as I looked at my friends.

"What are you so happy about?" Jacob whispered in my ear.

I looked up at him. "This," I motioned around the room. "I have friends!"

He laughed. "No, these aren't your friends," he corrected. "This is your family."

My eyes prickled a little at his words. I knew he was right. I always had such a small family before mom died. Then, all I had was Chase. When he was killed, I felt so alone. But, for the first time in a long time, I knew I had a family again. They were huge, loud, and sometimes got out of hand, but I knew I could always count on them. "You're right," I nodded and gave him a quick kiss.

Jared, Kim, Leah, and Brady stood and headed towards the door. "We gotta go patrol," Jared said as he patted my head softly. "And I have to bring Kim home. Happy 'You're Not Dead Day', Shorty." He grinned.

Kim leaned down and hugged me quickly. "Bye, Denae!" she said in her shy voice.

"Bye, Jared. Bye, Kim. Let's hang out sometime, okay?" I smiled at her.

"Okay!" she agreed, happily.

Leah just nodded at me. "Don't be dumb and attack and vampires again, okay?"

"I'll try," I rolled my eyes at her with a smile that she returned. I was glad Leah and I got along, because judging from the glares she would send Bella sometimes, I did not want to be on the receiving end of her anger.

Brady shuffled nervously in front of me and then leaned down and hugged me quickly. "I'm glad you didn't die," he said quickly. "I wouldn't be able to pass history without you."

I smiled at Brady, "Oh, I think you could manage. You're actually pretty good at it!"

He just shrugged and smiled as he followed Leah out the door. A few moments later, Seth, Sam, and Collin came through the door. Seth gave me a bright smile that reminded me of when Jacob wouldn't worry so much and allowed himself to really smile. "Hi, Shorty. Happy 'You're Not Dead' Day. I'd hug you but I'm starving!"

"Me too," Collin replied as he followed Seth into the kitchen. "But, I'm glad you didn't die." He grinned.

Sam smiled from his spot next to Emily. "They would not shut up about how upset they were that they missed your face when everyone surprised you. Luckily, they got to see it when the others phased."

I laughed and blushed slightly. I knew I had probably looked ridiculous. "Oh, good, I wouldn't want them to miss that."

The rest of the evening passed in pleasant conversation, until Quil got bored and insisted that we play charades.

Paul was standing in the middle of the room growing more and more frustrated as he continually made a rocking motion with his arms.

"Swing!" Quil cried. "Swing back!"

A slight tremor passed through Paul as he let out a frustrated groan. "Swing back? Really, Quil? That doesn't make any sense. Plus, that is only two words and we have already established that it was three."

"Hey! No talking, Paul!" Seth called out.

"Swing low?" Embry piped up with a laugh.

"Swing low sweet chariot!" Quil exclaimed.

"No!" Paul shouted. "No, no, no!" He threw up his arms in frustration. "_Baby got back_." he said with chagrin, "It was baby got back. Like the song." He made the swinging motion with his arms again. "This is obviously baby!" he pointed to his back. "This is back. Baby got back!" he growled.

Claire giggled. "Paul's a baby!"

We all laughed as Paul huffed and sat down. "This is a stupid game,"

I smiled at him. "It's alright, Paul. We are just too slow for this game. Those were good clues."

He just huffed again, but seemed to be calming down. Quil hopped up. "Alright, I'll go again."

We all groaned. Quil had gone several times, and he never seemed to be very good at giving clues. He had just started to make a saluting motion with his hand when the door burst open. It was Brady. He was panting frantically. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned towards him as he tried to catch his breath.

Sam jumped up from his spot on the couch. "What's wrong Brady? Why aren't you patrolling?" he asked with a worried tone. "Where's Leah and Jared?" Dread would be the only emotion that could describe how I felt. It filled me completely, and I knew something was wrong.

As Brady spoke, the room became deadly silent. No one even breathed. "T-There's…there's a leech," he panted. "Headed towards La Push!" The room became chaotic as everyone jumped up and began shouting at once, but I stayed frozen to my spot on the floor, paralyzed with fear.

My eyes met Bella's and I could see the same fear in her.


	18. Chapter 17: White Flags

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed and whatnot! No copyright infringement is intended. All publicly recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

This is a bit of a long chapter. Enjoy. :) Let me know what you think!

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 17**

**_White Flags - Our Lady Peace_**

_She looks like an angel  
Talks like it's war  
And this whole world is gone crazy  
God's gone a little lazy_

We're raising our white flags and holding our breath  
_But no retreat and no surrendering_**_  
_**

"What? How do you know?" Sam asked Brady quickly. The muscles in his jaw tightened. My eyes finally refocused and I glanced around the room and saw that every member of the pack had begun to shake slightly.

"L-Leah caught his scent. He hasn't made it here yet. We can smell him, but can't see him. It's-it's weird. Cullen is at the treaty line, freaking out. He wants Bella back over in Forks." Brady said glancing quickly at Bella who had jerked her head up at the mention of her name.

Jacob pulled me up into a standing position and Bella and I instantly moved to stand next to each other. "Sam, let's phase and go see if we can stop the bloodsucker. Paul, Brady, Collin, and Seth can stay here and protect Denae, Emily, Claire, and Bella."

"No," Sam shook his head. "We need to get Bella and Denae out of here. The vampire is probably after them." He looked at Emily worriedly.

"Are you saying that because you think it's the best idea? Or the best idea to keep _Emily_ safe?" Jacob growled. His fist tightened and he straightened up to his full height. He looked unbelievably intimidating as he glared at Sam.

Sam didn't seem intimidated as he glared back at Jacob. "Jacob, you know damn well that keeping Emily safe is always the best idea to me. Just like keeping Denae safe is to you. Think about it, though. If the bloodsucker is headed towards La Push, the safest place they can be is away from La Push." He turned to Embry, Paul, Seth, Collin, and Brady. "Go, phase now and make sure the house is safe. Wait for my command before you go too far. Be ready to run your normal routes until I give you instructions." The group bolted out of the door without any hesitation. Quil stayed put as he held Claire close and glanced in between Sam and Jacob worriedly.

Bella's phone began ringing and she answered it quickly. "Edward!" she breathed. "What? Who? O-okay." She handed the phone to me with a confused look.

"Hello?" I asked quickly.

"Denae, this is Edward. I need you to listen to me. You have to convince Sam and Jacob to let you and Bella come with us." Edward's tone was frantic. "If you stay there, you won't be safe. Alice can't see exactly what will happen, but she can see that it won't end well. We need you and Bella to come with me and my family."

"Edward, I don't think I can…" I said, unsure of how I would convince a pack of werewolves I'd be safer with a coven of vampires.

"No, you have to do this, Denae. I know you can." Edward said quickly. "I've seen you change Jacob's mind before. You are good at that. Use it. I'm not going to let a treaty line be the reason why something happens to my Bella. Call me back when it's done." He hung up. I looked at the phone for a moment, surprised. I looked around the room, trying to form a plan that would work.

"We don't have a lot of time," I said finally as I looked at everyone's expectant faces. "The more we fight about this, the worse it will get." I paused and swallowed hard. "Edward is very worried about Bella. He won't pay attention to any treaty lines if Bella is going to be hurt. Alice has seen that if Bella and I stay here, things won't end well. She can't see what exactly will happen, but Edward implied it wouldn't be good."

"Denae…" Jacob began, but I cut him off.

"This is what we need to do. You guys need to go meet Leah and Jared and try to cut the vampire off before he gets near here," I pointed at Quil "Send Quil, Collin, Brady, and Seth with Bella and I to the treaty line. Collin, Seth, and Brady will set up patrol there. Quil can come back here to stand guard and make sure Emily and Claire are safe." I looked at Sam. "Claire is Quil's imprint. He will fight just as fiercely as you or Jacob to protect her and Emily." I paused. "Bella and I will go with the Cullens to their house."

"No!" Jacob roared. He had started shaking more and was breathing heavily. "No, Denae."

"Jacob, please. Just listen." I pleaded. "Think about it. The Cullens can set up a guard at the treaty line to protect Forks, and then Bella and I will be protected at the Cullens, too. Bella and I need to be as far away from the vampire as possible. There's no way he's going to get through all of you guys and the Cullens. Plus, he'll probably stay away from the Cullens' house if he is alone. He will be able to tell how many of them there are, and he won't want to take them on by himself."

"I don't want you to leave La Push," Jacob said. His face held a stubborn expression. "I want you to be here."

"I don't want to be away from you, but I know that I need to for this to work." I looked down at my hands. My heart twisted as I said those words. I didn't want to ever be far from Jacob, especially when there was any sort of danger.

"She's right, Jacob." Sam said, gruffly. "That's what we're going to do. Don't make me put a command on it."

Jacob paced back and forth and pulled at his hair. He stopped finally. "If anything happens to Denae," he said and his voice broke a little. "I'll kill them." He turned to Bella. "I will kill him, Bella."

"Nothing will happen, Jake." Bella said in a shaky voice. "Edward and his family will keep us safe."

"Let's move," Sam said. "We've already wasted too much time. Quil, you drive Denae and Bella to the treaty line and the young ones will follow. Then come back here. I'm putting Emily's life in your hands. Don't make me have to kill you." Sam grabbed Emily and pulled her close. He whispered to her and then kissed her.

Jacob's strong arms wrapped around me and hugged me tightly. "Nothing stupid, okay? Just…nothing stupid." He said into my hair. His voice was raspy and full of emotion.

"Okay. I'll keep myself safe." I promised softly. I inhaled his scent and committed every detail of the way he felt against me to memory. "You be careful, too." I whispered as Jacob pulled my face up to his and kissed me roughly and passionately. "I love you." I said as I opened my eyes slowly.

"I love you," he replied and then he and Sam headed towards the door. With one last worried glace, they left.

"Listen to Emily, Claire." Quil was saying softly to a very upset Claire.

"No!" she yelled. "I want Quil!"

"I'll be back in a little bit," he said in an exasperated tone.

"No, I want Quil, now!" she crossed her little arms.

Quil had a sad look on his face. He glanced at me. "I hate doing this. It kills me every time she gets upset when I leave."

I looked around them room quickly. "Claire!" I said, faking a happy tone. "Quil told me that he is going to go get you something extra special, that's why he has to leave. I know what it is, too! Do you want to know?"

Claire gave me a look that told me that even though she was just a toddler, she wasn't sure if she should believe me. "Yes," she replied with a sniff.

"It's a crown, so you can be a princess," I whispered. "Isn't that cool?"

"Princess Claire!" she said happily after a slight pause. "Go!" she pointed to Quil. "_Go_!"

Quil seemed surprised for a moment, but then recovered. "Okay, goodbye Claire-bear."

"Princess Clarie-bear!" she giggled.

"Goodbye, Princess Claire-bear." He smiled. He looked at me and his expression turned serious. "Okay, let's go."

Quil, Bella, and I ran out the door and jumped into my car, with Quil behind the steering wheel. "Thank you, Denae." Quil said as he sped down the road. "I hate upsetting her like that, even if she is just throwing a fit."

"It's okay," I said grabbing on the door handle as he took a sharp corner way too quickly. "I know it's hard."

The rest of the ride was silent until Quil came to a screeching halt at the treaty line. "Be safe," he said to Bella and I. "Jacob will kill you if you do anything dumb, Shorty. Don't make us throw you another party." He tried to smile but it came out as more of a grimace.

"I won't. Keep Claire and Em safe, Quil." I paused. "And keep yourself safe." I tried to give him a brave smile, knowing that when he phased Jacob would want to make sure I was okay. I contemplated telling Quil to tell Jacob to be safe and that I loved him, but I didn't want to distract from whatever was happening.

He nodded and then ran towards the woods, pulling of his shirt quickly. In an instant, Edward was climbing in the driver's seat. He slammed the door shut and turned to give Bella a quick hug.

"Edward!" Bella cried.

"Hello, love." He said softly. "I wish I could hold you longer, but I need to get you to my house."

"Okay," she squeezed him one last time and then sat back in the passenger seat.

Edward put the car in gear and took off down the road. "How did you manage it so quickly?" he glanced at me in the rearview mirror.

I ran through the memory in my head, probably paying too much attention to how upset Jacob seemed. I was too worried to speak out loud.

"Once again, Denae, I owe you my gratitude," Edward said. "There was no I way I could convince them to let Bella come with me."

I just sighed in response.

"When Quil phased, I was able to see what was happening," Edward continued speaking. "Everyone is okay. They were following a trail that is going along the outskirts of La Push. They haven't had a visual of the vampire yet. Actually, even the trail is very faint, they aren't positive it's fresh, even though Leah insists it is and Seth said it wasn't there when he was on patrol an hour before. They know he is out there, they just can't get a strong enough scent to be sure he still is."

"That's strange," I said, finally finding my voice. "Is this just a random vampire then?"

"No, he has Victoria's scent on him too. And he appears to know the area." He shook his head. "I'm going to drop you off at our house and then join Emmett, Rose, Jasper, and Carlisle back towards the treaty line. Esme and Alice will be at the house with you."

I looked up in surprise. Alice hated me, and now I was going to have to hang out with her all night. This made me worry even more.

"What?" Bella said, interrupting my thoughts. "I thought you were going to be at the house?"

"I'm sorry, Bella." Edward said with a sigh. "I want to do whatever possible to make sure that you are safe, and I want the opportunity to get rid of this threat now." I noticed his hands gripped my steering wheel tightly, and I hoped he'd let up on it before he broke it. He glanced at me again in the mirror. "Sorry,"

"It's okay," I said leaning my head back against the seat. "I hate this. I hate being so helpless and needing protecting."

Bella gave me a knowing look, and I knew she understood exactly what I meant. We pulled up to the Cullen's house, jerking to a stop. Edward was out in an instant, opening up the passenger door for Bella and then the back door for me. We hurried inside quickly and were met in the foyer by Esme.

"Hello, dear." Esme greeted Bella with a hug. "Hello again, Denae, I'm sorry we have to meet again under these circumstances."

I gave Esme a tight smile. "Thank you for allowing me to come here," I turned towards Edward. "And thank you for protecting me. Please let the rest of your family know that I'm grateful they are looking out for me."

Edward nodded and then turned to Bella. He led her to the side of the room and spoke quietly to her. They hugged and Edward leaned down and gave Bella a quick, chaste kiss. Then, with a blur, he was out the door.

"Well, come on in girls," Esme said as she led us into the living room.

Alice was standing completely still by a window, looking out into the dark night. "Alice!" Bella said as we entered the room.

She turned and smiled worriedly at Bella. The two embraced quickly before Alice spoke. "Oh Bella, I'm so glad you got back okay. I hate when I can't see you!"

"I was safe the whole time, you should know that," Bella countered in a soft voice.

Alice just sighed and moved back to her spot by the window.

An hour passed in an uncomfortable silence and I grew more and more worried by the minute. I was about to stand up and start pacing when I heard the front door close. Bella and I both looked towards the doorway expectantly. Jasper entered the room and immediately went to Alice's side. "What's wrong?" he asked her as he pulled her into a hug.

"I-I," she glanced over to where Bella and I were looking at them expectantly. "I had a vision." She sighed. "She's changed her mind again. We have less time."

Jasper nodded. "How long?"

"Three weeks," Alice replied quickly. "They'll be here the second week in December."

Jasper nodded and then turned towards Bella and I. "We never saw a vampire but we believe he is out of the area," he informed us. "However, we have another problem." Bella and I looked at each other and then back at Jasper. I could feel the panic building in my chest. "Do you two mind if I just…calm things down a little?" Jasper asked with a tight smile.

We both nodded and I immediately began to feel my muscles relax a little. "Thank you," I sighed. "And thank you for asking."

"You're welcome," he replied. "Everyone is okay," he added quickly, and I felt myself relax even more on my own now that I knew no one had been hurt.

"What's the other problem?" Bella asked as she pulled her knees up under her chin and bit her lip nervously.

"A vampire was in your house, Bella." Jasper said slowly.

Bella jumped up with a look of terror on her face. "What?" she gasped. "What about Charlie?"

"He's fine," Jasper said quickly and Bella let out a deep breath and sat down slowly holding a hand over her heart. "The vampire just went into your room, probably to get your scent to take back to the army." He paused. "We are assuming that somehow he laid a false trail in La Push to distract us and the wolves so he could sneak into your house. It's hard to understand how he got over there so quickly, though. The female wolf claims it was a fresh trail and her brother said the scent wasn't there when he was on patrol, but they could never see him. His trail seemed to disappear. But there was definitely a strong scent in Forks and at your house, Bella. It was very fresh, probably not even an hour old, but we are certain he's gone now. However, he completely avoided your house, Denae. In fact, he took a longer route to get to Bella's just to avoid it."

My head was pounding as I tried to take the information in. "Why? Why would he do that?"

Alice spoke up. "Victoria," she said glancing at Jasper than turning her gaze to me. "She just wants Bella and the rest of us dead, but she has special interest in you, Denae. I can't really see it, but I think she still wants to turn you."

"Terrific," I muttered and buried my head in my arms. "Just perfect."

A cold hand on my arm made me glance up quickly. I was surprised to see Alice sitting down on the couch next to me with a concerned look on her face. "It is going to be okay, Denae. I may not be able to see your future, but I just have a feeling that it will all be alright."

I couldn't help the confusion that crossed my face at her actions. She was acting…nice, and it threw me off.

"I know we got off on the wrong foot," Alice said with a soft sigh. "But, you have done nothing but help our family and help Bella, even though you really should hate us. I'm sorry for the way I acted before, it wasn't right of me." She smiled.

I paused a moment before I responded. "I-I can understand why you were skeptical of me. Any human who knows about your existence is potentially a huge threat to you. Throw in my connection with the pack and that you can't see me and you've pretty much got your worst nightmare." I smiled a little. "But, this whole crazy situation really will only work if we can all get along. So, of course I forgive you."

Alice gave me a big smile and hugged me quickly. "Oh good! And since we are friends, as soon as this war is over I am taking you shopping. You need a real coat for this kind of weather, not this flimsy thing." She motioned to the heaviest coat I owned, which I had discovered wouldn't cut it for Washington's harsh winter.

"Oh, I just need to go to the store in town in get one," I replied with the wave of my hand.

"Give up now," Bella muttered as she sat back on the couch and crossed her arms.

"Oh, there is no way I'm letting you do that!" she shook her head and wrinkled her small, delicate nose. "They are so behind on the trends it isn't even funny! We need a trip to Seattle. However, in the mean time I think I may have a coat that will work for you. You are about the same height as me, even though you have a bigger chest I think it will fit." I blushed at her words as Bella started to giggle.

"I appreciate the offer, Alice. I really do. But, I don't think it's…" before I could finish my sentence Alice disappeared up the stairs in a blur.

I looked over at Jasper who was laughing lightly. "Leave it to Alice to be planning a shopping trip in the midst of an attack," he smiled.

Esme entered the room with a smile. "I rather like that about Alice," she said as she sat down next to Jasper. "She makes unbearable things bearable."

Jasper nodded in agreement and then turned to me. "While my wife picks out a new wardrobe for you, I was wondering if we could talk."

I nodded and settled myself farther back into the couch. "Of course,"

"Edward explained how you were able to get Sam and Jacob to let you come with us," He said. "Before I get too far into our discussion I would like to say that you did an excellent job with strategy. You are neither werewolf nor vampire, yet you thought quickly and made a precise decision. Since I come from a military background, I found it impressive. I can see why Victoria sees similarities in you and I. You can accurately judge other's feelings on certain things and you do a good job using them to convince others to see things your way."

"So you're saying I'm manipulative?" I asked with a straight face. I knew that he would understand I was just teasing by my emotions.

Jasper laughed. "Perhaps, but not in a negative sense,"

"I guess I can handle that," I smiled slightly.

"The reason why I bring this up is slightly touchy, though." Jasper's face became serious. "I honestly believe the only way we have a chance keeping both you and Bella safe is if we work together with the pack. But, I know they will be vehemently opposed to this."

I nodded. "I'm not sure how well that would go over," I paused. "But, I can see how it would be beneficial."

"I know it is asking a lot of you, especially since this may put a strain on your relationship with Jacob. But, do you think you can attempt to talk them into it?" Jasper said with a small frown. "Fighting newborns is different than fighting a regular vampire. They are faster, stronger, and tend to go straight for a kill. We requested the help of another vegetarian coven, the Denali family. They are good friends of ours. However, they won't be able to help." Jasper's face twitched into a deeper frown, and I could tell he was disappointed in their friends. "I think with our family and the pack working together we could easily defeat this army, and plan the best way to keep you and Bella as safe as possible."

I stayed silent for a few moments as I thought about what Jasper was asking of me. Jacob would be furious that I even suggested such a thing. But, deep down I knew Jasper was right. I nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll give it a try. I'm not sure if it will work, but I'll try."

Jasper gave me a huge smile, showing his perfectly straight, bright white teeth. I couldn't help but smile back. I realized that if I hadn't have met Jacob, I probably would have been very attracted to Jasper; dazzled, as Bella called it, even. He was from Texas like I was and there was something rugged about him. Yet at the same time, he was the perfect southern gentleman. However, ever since I had laid eyes on Jacob, I had found it hard to even see any other person of the opposite sex as anything more than a friend. I always ended up comparing them to Jacob and finding that he was perfect in every single way. The thought of his smooth tan skin and bright, boyish smile made me wish that I could see him. We hadn't really gotten a chance to just be Jacob and Denae for a while. Everything had been so dramatic for the past week or two.

"What's wrong? Your emotions have changed." Jasper said suddenly, breaking me out of my reflection.

I sighed. "Yeah, I guess I kind of want to see Jacob." I admitted with a shrug. "Things have been crazy the past few days."

"Ah," Jasper said in understanding.

"She just found out about the imprinting," Bella piped up from her corner of the couch.

Jasper gave me a small smile. "How'd you take it?"

I scrunched up my nose at the memory of how I reacted. "Not so well at first," I replied. "I'm a little independent, in case you haven't noticed, and it was kind of hard for me to deal with at first. But, then I thought about it and talked with Sam about it, and I was able to understand it."

Jasper grinned at me then stood. "Alice is coming back and I'm going to go back out with Edward, Emmett, and Rose and make sure everything is okay. Thank you for talking with me, Denae. We'll be in touch." And then he headed out the door.

I turned to Bella. "What a night," I said over dramatically as I threw my arm over my face and leaned back on to the couch.

Bella laughed at my actions. "I fear that it's about to get longer for you," Esme said from her spot across the room. Humor tinged her voice.

I moved my arm and saw Alice standing at the bottom of the staircase with a smile on her face. "Bella, Denae, come on up!" she ran, at vampire speed, over to us and pulled us up.

Bella groaned, but I was curious. I followed Alice up the stairs as Bella mumbled under her breath behind me. Alice opened a door and led us into a room that was the size of my bedroom at home, full of clothes.

"Oh my," I gasped as I looked at sheer mass of clothing in front of me. "This has got to be a joke." I started noticing all the name brand labels on the clothes and looked up with wide eyes when I saw how many of them still had the price tags on them. One shirt cost almost as much as one week of work at the restaurant.

Alice held out a jacket and I looked at a moment before slowly taking it out of her hands. I pulled it on and smiled a little. "It's so warm!"

Alice grinned. "And it looks great. It's all yours." Her tiny hand reached out and pulled the tag off of it.

"You haven't worn it?" I asked, surprise.

Alice disappeared behind a rack of clothes, her tinkling laugh following her. "Nope, but I don't really need coats. Try this on!" she said, as she flung a dress in my direction. I caught it just before it hit the floor.

"I thought it was just a jacket…" I began.

"Well, there was a change of plans when I saw this dress." she pushed me lightly towards where a curtain was hung for me to change. I rolled my eyes and put on the dress. It was red and tight fitting and I immediately figured I probably looked ridiculous. The material was soft and I knew it had to be expensive. "Put these on!" Alice said as she threw a pair of red high heels behind the curtain.

I sighed and slipped them on and then walked out from the behind the curtain. "This is just silly."

"Woah," Bella said as she raised her eyebrows at me. Alice just clapped her hands together as her musical laughter rang out in the room.

"That bad?" I asked.

Alice just pointed behind me and I turned to see Jacob standing in the doorway with a bewildered expression on his face. Alice reached up and pulled my hair out of my pony tail, and it fell around my face. I chuckled nervously and tucked a few strands behind my ear. His mouth was hanging open and I watched as his eyes started at my toes and then ran their way all the way up my body very slowly. By time he reached my eyes my face was probably as red as the dress. He snapped his mouth shut and a goofy grin appeared on his face. I turned to the mirror just to his left and my own jaw dropped at the sight. My reflection revealed a girl who looked way older than I felt and way more glamorous than I had ever hoped to be. The red made my lightly tanned skin and my dark hair stand out, which made my blue eyes look even more bright blue. The material clung in all the right places and gave me curves I didn't even know I had.

"Oh," I said softly, breaking the silence.

Alice laughed again and appeared beside me. "You're a bombshell!" she said with a huge smile. "Please tell me you wore a red dress to prom."

I tore my eyes away from my reflection and shook my head at her. "I didn't go to prom. I didn't really want to my junior year and I graduated early my senior year."

Alice's face turned into a pout. "That's a shame. But then again, I'm sure the pup over there is glad because you would have been snatched up by the first guy who saw you. You belong on a runway."

"I'm too short for a runway," I said with a flushed face and then looked back at Jacob. He was definitely looking at me, although his eyes weren't staring at my face. "I'll go get dressed." I said with a smile. His eyes snapped up to mine and he gave me a bashful grin at being caught.

"Aw, we were just getting started," Alice complained.

"We need to go," Jacob finally spoke. "I need to go back on patrol soon. Sam has us running extra shifts."

I slipped behind the curtain and changed out of the dress quickly, still feeling the rush from the looks Jacob was giving me. I walked out carrying my coat. "Take these, too. I don't know if they'll fit you, but you can try them." She grinned and handed me three shopping bags full of clothes. "Usually I know what will fit people, this will be a surprise!" she said happily.

"Alice is impossible to surprise," Jasper's voice said from behind Jacob. He moved out of the way so we could walk through the door. "We checked the area around Forks and didn't find anything. We'll be in the woods around Bella and Denae's houses for the rest of the night."

"Denae is coming back to La Push with me," Jacob said firmly and then looked at me quickly. "I mean, if that's okay with her."

I nodded. "Okay," Since the danger was out of the immediate area, I felt better, but the threat was still there, so the closer I was to wherever Jacob was, the better. The past two hours away from him had been long enough. I gave him a quick hug to let him know I missed him.

"Billy said you can stay at our house," He said as we walked down the stairs. I grabbed his hand and my skin instantly began to tingle from his warmth. I gave him a small nod. We turned back towards where Esme, Jasper, Alice, Edward, and Bella were standing.

"Thank you," I said with sincerity, knowing that Edward and Jasper would be able to tell how grateful I was. "And thank you for the clothes, Alice. You really didn't need to."

"But I wanted to. You're just too cute not to dress up! Plus, Bella is getting tired of me always dressing her up." She sighed.

I just smirked as Bella rolled her eyes. Jasper stepped forward and I felt Jacob tense next to me. "Thank you for speaking with me tonight, Denae. I appreciate you hearing me out." He stuck out his hand with a big smile. Jacob growled softly.

I scowled at Jacob a little and then turned to Jasper, matching his big smile and shook his hand. "It was no problem. Although, I was a bit of a captive audience, literally." Jacob pulled me back to his side the instant I dropped Jasper's hand. "Goodnight, everyone."

The Cullens and Bella all said goodbye, and Jacob and I were out the door quickly. Jacob opened the door for me after I had set the shopping bags in the back, and then got in the driver's side. He shut the door and looked at me as if he was waiting for an explanation.

"What?" I said, shifting a little in my seat, trying to keep the guilty look off of my face. I'm sure my new friendship with the vampire coven who stole Jacob's first love from him wasn't setting with him very well.

He started up the car and pursed his lips for a moment. "I leave you with some leeches for two hours and suddenly you're besties?" he said with sarcasm dripping from every word as he started to back up the car.

I paused, trying to decide how to explain my amiable actions. "Um, I'm a people person?" I shrugged trying to remain nonchalant.

"They aren't people," he said as drove down the winding driveway that led to the Cullens' home. "They are vampires."

"Well, then I'm a vampire person. I seem to attract their attention pretty often, maybe it's just in my blood." I looked out the front window.

Suddenly Jacob pulled over on the side of the road and slammed on the breaks. I looked at him quickly with wide eyes. He took several deep breaths. He had begun to tremble and for the first time since I had found out about the shape shifting I was afraid he was going to phase and possibly hurt me.

I grabbed the door handle, ready to jump out of the car in an instant if my boyfriend began sprouting fur. I couldn't help but think how strange my life was as I watched Jacob try to calm down. Even though I was ready to run, I stayed put. I wanted Jacob to know that I trusted him. He clenched and unclenched his fists several times.

Yes, it was going to be a long night.


	19. Chapter 18: My Heart

A/N: A quick update before final exams begin. Once I get through them (about a week and a half or so) then, I'll be on summer break and I will be able to update much more frequently. Let me know what you guys think! I know I don't get a ton of reviews for each chapter, but I just want to let the people who do review know that you are amazing! I love hearing from you guys!

No copyright infringement is intended. All publicly recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 18**

**_My Heart- Paramore_**

_This heart, it beats, beats for only you (It beats, beats for only you)  
__My heart is yours (My heart is yours)_**_  
_**

"I was so worried about you the whole time. And then I walked in and you were playing dress up with them." Jacob finally broke the tense silence that filled the car. It shattered like glass and I could feel the malice behind his words. He was not happy.

I frowned at the angry look on his face. "They are actually decent if you give them a chance," I said in a calm voice.

"I'm going to let that slide," he said as his hands balled into fists in his lap. He paused and then took a big breath. "What did you talk about with the blonde?" his nostrils flared slightly. His nonverbal signals were telling me that this was the source of his anger. Jasper was the member of the Cullen family with the least control, and I could tell Jacob didn't like it at all that I had talked to him. It reminded me of how he felt about my friendship with Paul since he was the most volatile member of the pack.

I cleared my throat and then spoke. "He wants you and the pack to work with him and his family during the war," I decided to be straightforward. I knew no matter what I said, Jacob would be upset.

"What?" Jacob said through clenched teeth.

"He said that newborns fight differently than normal vampires. He thinks that if you guys can work together, you'd have a much better chance at defeating them." I paused for a moment. "I-I think he's right." I said hesitantly.

"Of course you do," he said with a slight growl as he pulled back on the road. He flicked on the bright lights with annoyance. "Everyone always thinks those filthy bloodsuckers are right."

A few more moments of tense silence passed as Jacob's last words seemed to ring throughout the space in the car. "This isn't about tonight is it?" I finally said. "This is about Bella."

Jacob's head jerked to me with narrowed eyes. "How is this about Bella?"

"They stole Bella from you, and you think they're going to do the same with me. You may not have the same feelings for Bella that you once did, but it still hurts."

"You're wrong," he said angrily as he sped up a little.

"Am I?" I said softly. "I know you trust them, even though it's just a little."

He just huffed out an angry breath and kept his eyes glued to the road in front of him.

I tentatively reached out a hand and placed it on his knee softly. He tensed a little at the touch and glanced at me quickly. "I'm not Bella," I said simply as I squeezed his knee lightly.

"I know that," he responded quickly.

"I'm not going to ever choose them over you," I said firmly and poured as much conviction into my words as I could manage. "It won't happen. I know you think that's what I did tonight, but I didn't. I would have preferred to have been sitting on your lap the whole night over being with them." He let out a long breath and his grip on my steering wheel lessened a little. "I may be a people person, and I may be a vampire person. But it's you who has my heart." I grabbed his hand and placed it over my beating heart. "You feel that? I know you can hear it. Well, it's yours. My heart beats for only you, Jacob Black. Not for anyone else, and especially not for a bloodsucker. I've chosen_ you,_ forever. I'm pretty sure we've been through this. It sounds kind of familiar."

Jacob looked at me with furrowed eyebrows, but stayed silent.

"No? Not ringing any bells?" I tapped my chin in mock thoughtfulness. "Okay, well maybe this will help jog your memory. I love you so much, Jacob. I love your big smile that makes my heart skip a beat. I love how innocent you look when you're sleeping. I love how warm you are and that I can use you as my personal heater. I love your deep brown eyes. I love when you kiss me. I love when you first wake up and your hair is sticking up all over the place. I love watching you when you're a wolf and how strong and beautiful you are. I love how I could go on all night about all the things I love about you, and still not be done." He looked at me and his eyes softened. I unbuckled my seatbelt and leaned over the console and kissed his cheek quickly.

"Okay, I think I remember something about that now," Jacob said and a small smile broke out on his face. "But you may have to kiss me again to help me remember."

I beamed at Jacob. "I think that may be a little more distracting that helpful," I said playfully. I was ecstatic to finally get a smile out of him and I wanted to do whatever was possible to lighten the mood again.

"You are certainly distracting," he gave me a pointed look and then looked back at the road.

"What do you mean?" I asked as I clasped his large hand in both of mine. I wanted to jump up and down and scream with joy with the responses I was getting out of him now. It was a complete one-eighty from the furious, shaking mess he was moments earlier. Edward and Jasper were right. I was good at this manipulation thing.

He shook his head. "I almost forgot about why I was at the blood-er-Cullen's house when I saw you in that dress. Hell, I almost forgot my own name."

My cheeks were on fire as I remembered the looks Jacob was giving me. "Oh, you liked it? I couldn't tell." I glanced up at him.

He laughed and I felt all traces of tension leave my body. "You are always beautiful and sexy but that dress just emphasized it. I couldn't take my eyes off of you." My heart skipped a beat and he grinned at me. "I don't tell you that often enough, you know. But, you are the most gorgeous woman alive."

I felt my stomach do a flip when he said that and I couldn't wipe the involuntary smile off of my face as I stared down at our hands. I finally looked up at him. "I love you," The stupid smile was still plastered to my face.

"And I love you," he replied. We pulled into a drive way and I realized this must be his house. He shut the car off and looked at me. "Look, we're both stressed out right now. It's been crazy for the past several days. Let's just forget about everything tonight. I have to go back on patrol. We can discuss…everything…later. I'm not upset with you, I never was. I just get overprotective and jealous."

"I know," I replied. "And I agree; we can talk later."

He leaned over and gave me a searing kiss, cupping my face in his hands. He pulled back but left his hands where they were as his thumbs stroked my cheeks gently. "Let's get you inside so I can go on patrol and then be back faster." He pulled away and got out of the car as I unbuckled and did the same.

We entered the small, cozy house quietly. "Billy's asleep," he whispered. "Come on, I'll show you to my room." He took my hand and led me down a hallway and into a small room. I looked around and saw how messy his room ways and couldn't help but smile a little. "Okay, I don't know when I'll be back, but it'll be as soon as possible."

"Okay. Hey, is it okay if I take a shower? I don't want your bed to smell like vampire." I smiled.

He chuckled softly. "You are so cute, worrying about that. It's alright, don't worry about it."

"No, I want to," I insisted.

He smiled. "It's right across the hall,"

"I won't wake Billy?"

"Nope, his room is on the other end of the house." He sighed and then pulled me close to him. "Get some sleep." He kissed me softly. I kissed him back a little too eagerly. I didn't want him to leave. He pulled away with a laugh. "Behave."

"That's not fun," I pouted for a moment before my face turned serious. "Be careful, please."

"I will. I love you,"

"I love you, too." I said, and with one last quick kiss, Jacob headed out of the bedroom. I headed towards the bathroom and realized that I wouldn't have anything to wear to bed. I went back to Jacob's room and looked around. I saw a stack of folded and presumably clean, clothes sitting on his dresser. I shrugged and grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of his cut off sweats.

I took a scalding hot shower, hoping I was scrubbing of all of the vampire smell. I almost laughed out loud when I saw that the scent of his body wash was called "Ocean breeze." I opened the lid, took a sniff and realized I had found part of where Jacob's comforting smell came from.

After I got out and dried off I slipped on his t-shirt and shook my head at my reflection. His shirt went down to my knees. I gathered up all of my things and went back to Jacob's room. I looked around once again taking note of the slight mess. The clock said it was midnight, but I was too wound up to sleep. So, I cleaned. I had to keep pulling up the pants every time I bent over to pick something up, but after an hour I had put everything away, reorganized his closet and dusted.

There were a few items I ran across that I set out on his bedside table to ask or tease him about the next time I saw him. There was a picture that showed a young Billy Black holding a grinning little boy of about 3. I smiled at how cute Jacob was as a baby. Sitting next to Billy was a beautiful woman that had Jacob's eyes and nose. I knew that had to be Sarah Black. Standing behind Billy and Sarah were two girls of about ten with big smiles. That was Rachel and Rebecca, Jacob's twin sisters. I smiled as I saw they were dressed completely different and had different haircuts but identical smiles. They looked like younger versions of Jacob's mother.

The next item was piece of wrinkled paper. I had almost thrown it away until the words "I live across the street," caught my attention. I had unfolded it and read it. In messy handwriting it said:

**Hi, my name is Jacob Black. I live across the street and I caught you yesterday. Sorry for running off. I hope we can talk.**

I laughed out loud softly to myself when I read that. I thought back to the first time Jacob and I met, and still got the warm, dizzy feeling I always got when I thought about that time. Everything about that moment made so much more sense now that I knew about the imprinting.

The final item was possibly my favorite. It was a picture of a young Jacob. He was probably twelve or thirteen. I was surprised to see how long his hair was. I wanted to ask him what had made him cut it. He had his arms around two boys of the same age. One was lanky and slim, and the other was shorter and stouter. I instantly recognized them as Quil and Embry. They were covered in grease and laughing happily. They looked so different from the big, tall men that they were now, but their smiles were still the same.

I glanced over my three discoveries and realized that I should be feeling lucky that I didn't run across anything too embarrassing or scandalous in Jacob's room. I crawled into the bed that was probably way too small for him, and shut off the light on the bedside table. I inhaled Jacob's woodsy scent as I curled up and drifted off to sleep.

The creak of the bedroom door woke me up three hours later. I looked up with bleary eyes at the shadowy figure in the doorway. I yawned and flipped on the bedside lamp, blinking in the glaring light. I tried to look at Jacob who had yet to move from his spot on the door way, but I couldn't see very well. I yawned again and pushed the covers off of me and swung my feet over the side of the bed as I rubbed my eyes. A sharp intake of breath made me look up.

Jacob was gazing at me with an unreadable expression. "What time is it?" I muttered sleepily.

"Four in the morning," he answered and I frowned. His tone didn't give away anything either.

"Are you done patrolling?" I asked as I started to stand. "You must be exhausted, here take your bed. I'll sleep on the couch."

"No, no." Jacob said and moved quickly so he was kneeling in front of me. "We can both sleep in the bed."

"It's tiny," I admonished with a tired smile.

"So are you," He shrugged. I saw him look around the room slowly. He looked back at me with a small frown.

"What?" I asked innocently as my eyes darted to my findings on his bedside table.

"You just never cease to amaze me. Four hours ago you were the most frustrating person alive. And now.." he trailed off looking around the room again.

"And now, what?" I asked, pressing him for details.

"You cleaned my room," he said. "And I come in to find you, curled up in my bed in my t-shirt."

I glanced down quickly, embarrassed and remembered I had taken his huge shorts off before I fell asleep. "Sorry, I didn't have a change of clothes,"

"And boy, am I glad," Jacob responded as his eyes bore into mine. "You look so beautiful sitting here with your hair all a mess and in my t-shirt." I blushed under his intense gaze. He leaned in close to me with a smirk and whispered "I can't decide if I like you in the red dress or you in my t-shirt better." His warm hands rested on my hips and his words sent a shiver down my spine.

"Y-you look exhausted," I stuttered out, around my embarrassment. My hand lightly grazed the stubble on his cheek and I gently ran my thumbs over the dark circles under his eyes.

He gave me a tired smile. "I am. Let's go to sleep." Before I can suggest again that the bed was too small, Jacob picked me up and lay down in his bed. I was practically lying on top of him.

I used my arms to push up on his chest and look down at him. "How is this going to work?"

He smiled tiredly and shrugged. "Pretty damn well if you ask me. I'm not much of a cuddler, but I think I can handle holding you all night." He said as he wrapped his arms around my back. "Okay, let's go to sleep. I'm worn out. Sam has Leah, Jared and I alternating running the farthest, largest, border. I'm so tired." He reached over and shut the light off. I paused for a second and then rested my head on Jacob's chest and felt the steady rise and fall as he breathed.

"You're totally a cuddler, by the way," I said after a yawn.

"Am not," He yawned back.

"Are too,"

"Love you," his voice turned into a sleepy mummer.

"Love you, too, Cuddles." I giggled softly.

"Not," he began, and then yawned. "funny."


	20. Chapter 19: Cryin For Me

A/N: Here we go! Let me know what you think. No copyright infringement is intended. All publicly recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 19**

**_Cryin For Me - Toby Keith_**

_Im going to miss that smile  
Im going to miss you my friend  
Even though it hurts the way it ended up  
Id do it all again_

So play it sweet in heaven  
Cause thats right where you want to be  
Im not cryin cause I feel so sorry for you  
_I am cryin for me_**_  
_**

"What's going on out here?" A voice mumbled.

I looked up from where I was sitting at the kitchen table with Billy and grinned at Jacob. He rubbed his eyes and yawned loudly. He looked adorable.

"Mornin', sunshine!" I greeted happily.

Jacob grunted a reply and grabbed an apple from the counter. He kissed the top of my head before sitting down next to me and taking a big bite of the apple. My eyes were drawn to his full lips, but Billy's voice broke me out of my trance.

"Good morning, son." Billy's eyes were twinkling as he looked back and forth between Jacob and I. Jacob threw an arm around the back of my chair and lightly ran his fingers up and down my shoulder as he continued to eat his apple. Billy's smile widened.

"What were you two giggling about out here?" Jacob asked with a mouthful of apple.

"Oh, nothing," I said and winked at Billy. Billy smiled and shook his head.

"I know better than to believe that," Jacob raised an eyebrow in speculation. "Seriously, what were you guys laughing about? I know I heard my name."

I took a sip of my orange juice and shrugged innocently. Billy and I had been discussing Jacob's childhood before he had woken up. But I wanted Jacob to sweat it out a little.

"Tell me," Jacob insisted and his tone grew more impatient.

"Why don't you make me, _Spidey_?" I grinned and Billy chuckled.

Jacob's eyes narrowed. "Dad, you told her?"

Billy tossed his head back and laughed. "I'm sorry, son. She wanted to know what you were like as a kid, and she can be very convincing."

"You didn't have to tell her that," he groaned as he got up and threw away his apple core.

"Hey," I said as he sat back down. I playfully threw my arms around him. "I think it is just so sweet you insisted on being called Spiderman. Billy told me all about how you used to tie Quil up with rope and claimed it was your web. It's so cute."

Jacob rolled his eyes but I could see a faint smirk playing on his lips.

A knock sounded at the door. "Oh, Charlie's here," Billy said as he turned towards the door. Jacob jumped up and answered it. "Charlie, good to see you." Billy said from behind Jacob.

"Hey Billy, Jacob." Charlie nodded as he walked into the door. His eyes met mine and he smiled. "Denae, how you are doing?"

"I'm good thank you, Chief Swan." I replied with a smile. Jacob lazily walked back over to me and threw his arm around my chair again. Charlie and Billy gave each other knowing looks.

"Call me Charlie," he smiled. "Bells says that you and her are getting to be good friends."

I nodded. "I guess so. Bella has been a great friend. I don't know how I would have made it through the past few weeks without her." I smiled. Charlie had no idea how true that statement was.

"Well, that's good to hear. I'm glad she's spending time with a good kid like you." I sensed there was more behind his words, probably pertaining to Edward, but I didn't press him for details. "And you guys have only known each other a few weeks. But, boy the time has flown! I can't believe it's already November 22nd."

Billy responded, but I didn't hear it. My heart sunk and I felt a wave of emotion come over me. Chase had died a year ago on November 22nd. I put my head in my hands, feeling unbelievably upset with myself that I had forgotten. The past few days had been hectic, but I should have remembered. I felt my head swirl and my guilt being to grow.

"Well we've got some fish to catch! This is the last time we'll be out before the winter." Billy said with a smile. "It was great talking with you this morning Denae."

I looked up from where I was staring at my hands and forced a smile to Billy. "Thanks, Billy. I had a nice time too. Good luck with the fish."

Billy and Charlie said goodbye to Jacob who distractedly said goodbye to them, too. He was giving me a concerned look as tears began to fill my eyes. He had instantly noticed the change in my demeanor.

When the door closed behind Billy and Charlie Jacob pulled me into his lap. "What's wrong?" he asked urgently. "You were just fine and now you're crying."

"I'm not crying," I said. My voice was thick. I looked away and a tear rolled down my cheek.

Jacob quickly brushed it away. "Denae? You're scaring me." He said in a quiet tone.

I sniffed. "I-I'm okay," I didn't want to talk about it. I still felt a lot of pain when I thought about my brother's death. I was the cause of it and I had almost forgotten about the one year anniversary. It was still hard to even think of him being gone. I honestly just felt like he was still around, but I hadn't talked to him in a while. Sometimes, even at the new house, I expected him to come walking in the door with his backpack from school. He'd give me hug and call me Dee and then joke with me about something stupid. I couldn't believe it had been a year. It was about four months in between when he died and when Grant and I began dating, and I stayed with Grant for five months. That meant I had been in Forks for three months.

I stood and brought by cereal bowl the sink, sniffing as I started to wash it. Jacob was right behind me, hovering. I could feel his warmth radiating off of his skin, even though he wasn't touching me. "Talk to me, Denae." He said softly. "What's wrong?"

I turned towards him and let out and involuntary sob. "Victoria killed my brother one year ago today," I blurted out.

Jacob instantly pulled me to him clutched him desperately. Jacob always made everything better for me; I wanted him to make this better, too.

"Oh, sweetheart," He said as he kissed the top of my head. "I'm so sorry." His arms were tight around me, as if holding on to me tighter would keep me safe from all the bad things in my past.

I pulled back and sniffed as I looked up at him. He had tears in his eyes as he grabbed a paper town and handed it to me. I wiped my nose and my face. "I'm sorry," I mumbled.

"Shh," he said softly as he smoothed my hair behind my ears. His face was drawn into a serious look. "Don't be sorry. Listen to me; I'm going to kill her, okay? I'm going to kill her for all she's put you through. I'm going to kill her for hurting you, I'm going to kill her for wanting to make you a bloodsucker, and I'm going to kill her for killing Chase." Jacob's words were intense but his eyes were soft and his face held nothing but love and sincerity.

I sniffed and nodded, but didn't speak. I just stared at my hands on Jacob's chest for several moments. Finally, I broke the silence. "Y-you would have liked him," I whispered. It was true. Chase was over-protective of me just like Jacob was. He also loved to let his inner child out and was constantly joking or making you laugh. He was intelligent and quick-witted and everyone always liked him.

"He's related to you, I'm sure I would have. Will it help to talk about him a little bit?" He asked as his eyes searched mine for an answer.

I bit my lip. "I don't know. Maybe?"

Jacob nodded once and then took my hand and led me into the living room. He sat on the old couch and the springs groaned in protest as he moved and pulled me down next to him. I turned and lay down with my head in his lap. His hands began to play with my hair as he spoke. "What was he like?" His hands moving through the strands of my hair made me relax. I closed my eyes for a moment, and then opened them again.

I sighed. "Over protective," I said with a small smile as I thought of all the times Chase would lecture me about being careful.

"You're right, I would have liked him," Jacob said smiling softly at me. "Do you think he would have liked me?"

I pursed my lips. "I don't know. He always tried to scare off anyone who was interested in me. Even though, I don't think you'd be easily scared off. I think if he gave you a chance, he would. You are always worried about me, just like he was." I smiled a little. "He was a huge goofball though. He liked to play practical jokes. I could see him fitting in with you and your friends."

Jacob smiled. "That must be where you get your sense of humor,"

I nodded and smiled as the tears began to stop. Jacob and I spent the next hour talking about my brother and the good times he and I had together. Afterwards, I felt much better. I sat up and hugged him. "Thank you," I whispered.

He smiled softly back at me. "Anytime, honey. Are you ready to go home?"

I nodded. "I haven't spent any time there lately."

"Let's go," Jacob said as he stood and gathered my things.

"Can we stop by my work on the way in? I want see if I can go back tomorrow."

Jacob frowned. "You're not going back to work,"

I raised my eyebrows. "Excuse me?" I really didn't have the energy to fight Jacob, but I knew I would if I had to.

"It's too dangerous. I need to know where you are at all times." He shook his head and headed to the door, as if he was ending the conversation.

"Jacob," I said a bit harshly as we go into the car. He was driving, as usual. "Alice knows exactly when she's coming. I'll figure out a way to get off the day that it is all supposed to happen."

"The last time you went to work, she found you and almost killed you." Jacob said quietly after a long pause.

Realization hit me.

"Hey," I grabbed his hand. "We can be careful about it. I'll call you as soon as I get to work, and as soon as I leave. Or, if you're on patrol I can call someone in the pack."

"How about you have me or one of the guys pick you up and drop you off at work?" Jacob said in a tone that told me he was trying very hard to reach a compromise.

I sighed. "Sure," I knew that was the only way he was going to let me go to work.

He beamed over at me. "Good," I'm sure the fact that I gave up so soon was a pleasant surprise for him. But, I wasn't in the mood to argue, and part of me didn't mind being extra cautious. I had my fill of dangerous vampire attacks. I made a mental note to talk to Bella later so that Alice could look out for any changes in Victoria's plans.

The rest of the ride into Forks was quiet. My mind drifted back to Chase. I would give anything to see him again. I looked over at Jacob as we drove. I knew Chase would approve of Jacob, but I wished they could meet. I wish Chase could see how happy Jacob made me, and that I was doing okay. He would be shocked to see how much my life had changed in the past year. He'd probably be furious about Grant, a lot like Jacob was.

We pulled up to the restaurant and I kissed Jacob on the check quickly before I got out. "I'll be right out,"

He nodded and started fiddling with the radio as I ran inside.

"Denae!" Marie said happily. "Are you feeling better?"

I nodded and held up my wrist, which I had rid of the ace bandage that morning. "Much better, thanks!"

"Shorty!" Rick said with a big smile. He walked around the counter and wiped his hands on a towel. "How are you doing?"

"Good, thanks Rick. Sorry I've been out."

He waved his hand dismissively. "No problem. When you come back, you will have an extra job, though."

"What's that?" I asked as a confused look formed on my face.

"Gutter cleaning," Rick said and then laughed at his own joke.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, I get it. It was pretty stupid."

"You want to work the day after tomorrow?" he asked.

"Sure, sounds great. Um, I will need some time off in December if possible." I said nervously. I hated that I had missed so much work just to turn around and ask for more time off.

"Well, when? We are doing remodeling the week before Christmas, and will probably be closed until New Years. I meant to talk to you about this earlier." He said with an apologetic look.

"Oh, really?" I said as relief washed through me. I wouldn't have to worry about probably being distracted during that time.

"Yeah, you, Barb and Ash will get vacation pay, since you are our full time staff. I know it's a little less than what you usually make each check…" he trailed off. "It will just go faster if we are closed, and that is the slowest time of year around here."

"Of course, I totally understand!" I said quickly as relief washed through me. I was glad I didn't have to worry about work during the time before the war. "That will be fine. What part of the building is being remodeled?"

Rick led me around and pointed out the aspects of the building that would be under construction. After that, I worked out a schedule with him for the next couple weeks and headed out to the car. I opened the door and Jacob looked up from where he had dozed off.

"That took awhile," he muttered as he rubbed his eyes.

"Sorry I woke you up," I said as I closed the door. "Yeah it did, but I have some good news."

"What's that?" Jacob asked as we pulled out of the driveway and headed towards my house.

"Well, the restaurant is going to be remodeled the week that the whole war thing is supposed to happen. It's going to be closed through New Years. We won't have to worry about covering up for me." I shrugged. I was glad, but I was still having a hard time really getting excited about anything.

Jacob gave me a surprised look. "Well, that's convenient."

"Yeah," I said as I rested my head against the cool window. I couldn't help but think back to the holidays last year. I spent them holed up in my apartment until Jessilyn forced me to come out on Christmas.

"How about when we get to your house we eat some lunch and take a nap before I have to patrol this afternoon?" Jacob must have noticed my mood change. He reached over and put his hand on my knee. He began to rub small circles on my leg which instantly made me feel better.

We had only woken up a few hours ago, but right now I wanted nothing more than to fall asleep in Jacob's warm, protective arms. I knew he wanted to fix everything, and it was probably driving him crazy that I was upset, but I couldn't help it.

"You have no idea how good that sounds," I sighed as we pulled into my drive way. "Are the guys coming over?" I assumed the pack would be in the area around my house.

"Um," Jacob hesitated. "Probably not. They'll be keeping an eye out, but I don't think they'll be hanging out."

"What? Why?" I looked over at him as he avoided my gaze. I frowned as I realized something was wrong.

"They aren't exactly…thrilled with you right now." He said quietly.

"Why?" I sat up in alarm. Then, it hit me. They must have seen the conversation between Jacob and I last night when Jacob phased. They knew I thought they should work with the Cullens. I rolled my eyes. "Seriously, this who mortal enemies thing is too much," I muttered.

I heard Jacob laugh nervously. "Seth isn't mad…" he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Of course Seth isn't mad. That kid doesn't have an angry bone in his body. But the rest of them are, right?" I looked up at him. "And you are." I added quietly.

Jacob sighed. "We aren't talking about this at all today. You are upset enough today without everything else." He touched my check softly. "We can talk about it when you are happier. Until then, it's not important."

I just sighed and got out of the car. I didn't even bother to pull up the hood on the old hoodie of Jacob's that Billy had given me. Ice fell from the sky and hit my face, but I just ignored it as I headed inside with Jacob. We didn't talk much as we ate and then went to take a nap.

I curled into Jacob side, sighing as his warmth washed over me. I still hadn't adjusted to how just his touch could comfort me, and every time it did I was a little surprised. "I love you," I said softly as Jacob's warm hands traced patterns on my arm.

"I love you, too." Jacob replied.

Loud voices woke me up a little while later.

"Who are you?" I heard Jacob's voice say, the tone clearly warning whoever he was talking to that he wasn't messing around.

A familiar voice that I couldn't place replied in a louder tone. "Who are you? What are you doing here? Where is Denae?" there was a brief pause. "Answer me!"

"You really don't want to get me upset," I heard Jacob say, and I sat up quickly, knowing that there was some sort of threat at the door.

"You haven't seen upset until you've pissed_ me_ off, buddy," a female voice added to the mix. I jumped out of bed, not trusting my ears, and jogged into the living room."I don't know who you think you are but, you better tell me right now where Denae is, or I swear I'll cut off your…" I gasped and instantly tried to begin to discern if what I was seeing was real, or if it was all just a very, very messed up dream.


	21. Chapter 20: The Cure

_A_/N: Here we go! No copyright infringement intended..._  


* * *

_

**THE CURE**

**_C_hapter 20**

_**The Cure-Jordin Sparks**_

_Just come with your heart  
And leave the rest to me  
And I promise I will be  
And I'll be your cure  
Show me where it hurts  
And I know that I can be  
The medicine you need  
Baby, I'll be your cure  
The cure  
**  
**_

I gaped as I tried to absorb what was happening. "Denny!" The high-pitch squeal of Jessilyn Kinder cut through the fog that had surrounded my brain after being woken up from a very comfortable nap and faced with a very confusing scene.

Jessilyn had her finger in Jacob's face and Doc was standing behind her, trying to look intimidating. Jacob had begun to shake slightly. I knew that I needed to get him calmed down.

But, Doc took a step forward and around Jacob. "Denae!" I was surprised Jacob let him get around. He was definitely in full-on protector mode.

"Oh, Denny, thank God!" Jessilyn said as she tried to push Jacob out of her way. I saw her glare and mutter something to Jacob. When he didn't budge she stomped her high heeled foot on the floor angrily. My vision was cut off as Doc hugged me tightly.

"What are you guys doing here?" I finally said as he pulled back to look at me. My voice was breathy. I was still surprised to see the two of them standing in my living room and threatening my boyfriend. The shock was wearing off, though and I could feel the excitement setting in.

"We came to visit," Jess began and then turned to glare at Jacob. Doc let go of me and Jessilyn finally pushed past Jacob and hugged me and kissed my check. "I'm so glad you see you Denny!" she said with relief. It had been several weeks since I talked to her, and I was relieved to see her too.

"This punk wouldn't let us in," Doc added. He took a threatening step towards Jacob. "Is he a problem I need to take care of, Denae?" Doc was in his late 50's, but he definitely knew how to be intimidating. However, Jacob just glared back at Doc and crossed his arms over his chest.

"No, Doc, not at all!" I said hastily. I quickly maneuvered so that I was standing by Jacob's side. "Um, Doc, Jess, this is my boyfriend, Jacob." I said, nervously. I felt Jacob's arm wrap around my waist protectively. I took a deep breath and tried to rid the nervousness from my system. I had always wanted Jacob to meet everyone from Denton, but this was not the way I had imagined it. He was still shaking a little so I grabbed his hand and gave him a light squeeze to help him calm down.

At the same time both Doc and Jess gasped "Boyfriend?" Doc's tone was angry, but Jess seemed delighted.

"Oh, Denny. Don't tell me this is gorgeous cookie gutter guy." Jess looked Jacob up and down and shot me a thumbs up.

"Jessilyn!" I cried. I glanced up at Jacob whose eyebrows rose up in question. He wisely kept his mouth shut. His shaking started to go away.

"Denae, I think we need to have a talk. Please ask this young man to leave." Doc said sternly, not taking his eyes off of Jacob. Doc may not be related to me, in any way, but he was the closest thing I had to a father figure, and he would do anything to keep me safe.

I took a deep breath. "Doc, I know exactly what you are thinking right now. But, this is different. I swear to you. Jacob would never, ever hurt me. He's kept me safe. He's a great guy, I promise."

"Denae Joy!" A soft southern voice said from behind me. I turned to see Martha enter the doorway, carrying Jessilyn's daughter Faith on her hip. She pushed her blond hair out of her face as she stared at me with wide eyes.

"Nay Nay!" Faith said happily as Martha put her down. She ran to me and I picked her up and twirled her around.

"Hi there cutie!" I said, happily. "You have gotten so big!" Martha pulled me into a hug, She stepped back and eyed Jacob warily, as he stood, unmoving, behind me.

"I missed ya, Nay Nay." Faith said as she rested her head on my shoulder. "Who is that?" She pointed to Jacob.

"That's Jacob," I said with a smile.

"Oh, hi, I'm Faith. I'm three." She said to Jacob with a shy smile.

"It's nice to meet you, Faith," Jacob replied. He tore his eye away from glaring at Doc long enough to smile at Faith. I set her down and she ran to her mother.

I stepped back and grabbed Jacob's hand. Doc frowned at the action. "Denae. We're here to take you back to Denton." He said bluntly.

"What?" Jacob and I exclaimed at the same time. The thing deep down inside me that caused me to have all those involuntary actions to Jacob kicked in and my grip on his hand tightened. I felt panic building, and I knew it was the imprint. Something deep down in my veins understood that even thought of being away from Jacob was reason to panic. I swallowed hard and clung to Jacob as if Doc's words were physically ripping me from him. I took one look at Jacob's face and knew he was feeling the same thing.

"We haven't heard anything regarding Grant in the past several weeks. We want to take you back to Denton so we can be sure you're safe." Doc said. "Start packing."

"I can keep her safe here," Jacob said in a low tone. He was trying to stay calm but his voice waivered slightly and I knew he was scared, too. My rational side kicked in and I knew that I needed to do something.

Doc began to speak as my mind went to work on how to fix the situation "Oh, really? And how are you going to do that, pup?" the irony of the nickname wasn't lost on me, but I was too concerned to acknowledge it. "You don't know the first thing about how to keep Denae safe."

"Actually, I do," Jacob said. "Denae means a lot to me, more than you may ever be able to understand, and I'll do anything to protect her." He pulled me a little closer to his side and shifted so he was leaning towards the door. It was like he was getting ready to grab me and run out the door. I planted my heels firmly on the floor. I knew this needed to be dealt with.

Doc scoffed at Jacob's declaration. "Son, you may talk a big game, but I don't think you can follow through. Denny is like my daughter, and she is a good girl who tends to trust the wrong people. She ain't getting hurt again." Doc turned to me. "I know you may think you trust this kid, but Denae, you need to come home." His voice held a hint of a plea in it and some of my panic lessened. This was Doc. He was just trying to keep my safe.

"She's not…" Jacob began but I quickly cut him off.

"Doc, I love him." Doc's brown eyes widened behind his glasses and his frown deepened. My heart pounded in my ears and my face flushed a little, but I kept my gaze firmly on Doc. He needed to know that this wasn't some passing infatuation. Sure, I was completely infatuated and consumed with Jacob, but this was a feeling that would last forever.

"Maybe we should give him a chance?" Jess said softly. She always had a knack for understanding me. She glanced between Jacob and I as I ran my thumb over his hand, and hoped the motion would soothe him a little.

"Jess, I appreciate your open mind, but that's not the point. The point is we need to keep Denae safe." Doc crossed his arms. "From anyone who might hurt her." He gave a pointed look at Jacob.

"I would never hurt Denae!" Jacob retorted. I could tell his anger was flaring. The thought of anyone hurting me always upset him. I'm sure being accused of it was not helping. "I've already protected her from plenty of dangerous things that could have hurt her, and I intend to keep doing that."

My eyes widened. I knew Doc was going to want to know what Jacob was referring to. I thought my profession of love would be enough to eradicate the situation, but I could tell that it could get messy very quick. I was back into damage control mode.

On cue, Doc replied. "Oh really? What dangerous things could be lurking around tiny Forks, Washington? I can see why you have the wool pulled over Denny's eyes, you're quite the smooth talker, but it's not working on me."

"Stop it!" I finally cried in frustration. I couldn't take it anymore. No one was getting anywhere. "Quit talking about me like I'm not here!"

Both Doc and Jacob gave me guilty looks. I took a deep breath, unsure what to say next.

"How about we have a seat and talk things over?" Martha interjected into the awkward silence that had followed my outburst. She walked and sat down on the love seat. Doc sighed and followed suit.

We all took our places around my living room. I stared at my hands a moment, trying to figure out how I could gain control of this situation, and make it work out. I knew there was no way I could leave Jacob and go back to Denton. I didn't even consider it as a possibility. Three months ago, this would have seemed absurd to me. I never would have taken the side of someone I had only met three months ago over the people I considered my family. But, since had accepted the imprinting and I knew the way I felt if I tried to stay away from Jacob for too long, I knew it was impossible for me to ever go anywhere without him by my side.

I also knew Doc needed an explanation, and he needed to think I wasn't in any danger in Forks. I rubbed my temples as I thought about all aspects of the situation. I needed Doc and Martha to understand that Jacob is capable of taking care of me, and that I was capable of taking care of myself. I wished that I could tell them about the vampires and wolves, but I knew that wasn't possible and would probably be much more complicated. I couldn't help but think about the way Chase would handle the situation. Then, I realized what I needed to do. Lie.

"Listen," I said finally. "I miss Denton, and I miss you guys. You know I do." I looked at them and had to blink back my tears. "I know why you guys are here today, on this date. You knew I'd need help getting through the day that my brother died." The words came from my mouth a little choked, but I felt a slight burden lift at saying the words out loud. Martha's face turned sad as she listened to me. "You were right. But, Jacob has been here, helping me through it." I paused. "Jacob knows everything. I told him because I trust him."

"Denae, you can't trust just anyone," Doc began. The accusatory tone had left his voice, but I knew he hadn't given up.

"I know, I know. Believe me. When I came here I didn't trust anyone." I glanced up at Jacob who was listening to me intently. His eyes were glued to me. He was probably trying to figure out where I was going. "But, Jacob has been saving my life since the day I met him.

"A few weeks after I moved here, I was trying to clean out my gutters, and I saw a spider, and I freaked out and the ladder fell and I was left holding on to the gutter." I said. A slight flush rose on my cheeks.

"Oh, sweetheart! Did you get hurt?" Martha asked. She glanced over me with concern written over her face. I couldn't help but smile at her motherly actions. I used to think her constant motherly concern was stifling, but now I realized how much I had missed it.

"No. I would have, except Jacob was house sitting across the street, heard me scream, came over, and caught me. A few days later he came over and helped me do a lot of work on the house." I sighed. "I was so lonely and sad, but Jacob brightened my life right up. You know how much I need to have people around me to be happy. Jacob gave me that." I paused. The next part would be a little hard. "Then one night, my car broke down and I was walking home. Some creep followed me and tried…tried to attack me w-with a knife." I swallowed hard.

Both Jess and Martha gasped and Doc's eyes narrowed. I felt a shudder run through Jacob's body. He hated when this got brought up. "Jacob, once again saved me before I could get hurt."

"Did you kill the bastard?" Doc asked gruffly. I could tell I had his attention, even thought he wasn't totally convinced.

Jacob's eyes widened slightly before he spoke. "N-no. I wanted to, but the police came, and Denae was there." He cleared his throat. "I scared him so bad he wet his pants though."

I looked up surprised. I hadn't known that. I shouldn't have been surprised, though. An angry Jacob was definitely scary enough to cause someone to wet their pants. If the situation weren't so tense, I'd probably laugh. Jacob shrugged at me as Jessilyn told him how great he was. Doc's lips pursed together as he gave Jacob a curt nod, but he didn't speak. His resolve was cracking.

"Jacob took me home, and made sure I was okay and everything," I said and the attention was back onto me. "That was enough to make me realize that he was someone special." I wanted to say my guardian angel, but I knew Jacob knew what I meant. "But that isn't the whole story." I said. Hesitation filled me, but after a moment I continued on "A few days ago, someone else tried to hurt me."

Jacob stiffened next me, but I didn't look at him. I had to stay focused, or the scrutinizing eyes of my loved ones would notice a crack in my façade. "She worked with Grant,"

"What?" Doc exclaimed. "Why didn't you call the number? Who is she? What happened? Did he send her?" His hand gripped the armrest on the couch.

"I didn't call because it was taken care of," I said. I paused for a few moments. "She is the one who attacked me in Denton." I said with a sigh. I watched as everyone's mouths dropped open.

"Denae," Jacob said as a warning. I looked up and squeezed his hand. His eyes searched mine, trying to understand what I was doing.

"I need to tell them," I said. I tried to communicate that I wouldn't give anything away "Trust me." He nodded warily and I continued.

"Her name is Victoria. I still don't know what Grant did, but I'm sure it was illegal. She was supposed to kill me because Grant found out that I was trying to escape." I paused. "However, I had something she wanted."

"What on earth could you possibly have that some illegal underground organization would want?" Doc asked as he peered into my eyes for answers.

"Information," I replied. I had no idea where this strange mixture of truth and lie was coming from, but I just went with it and hoped I could sell it. "Grant made her think I knew a lot more than I really did. But, she found out some people higher up than Grant were unhappy with his work and were planning on killing him. She told me they had arrived that day to take care of Grant, so she wanted to get information from me, now that she didn't have to worry about Grant finding out." I had to suppress the shudder as I recalled that awful night three months ago. It seemed like it was so much longer since it had happened. "When I told her I knew nothing, she attacked me. She wanted to kill me. But, she didn't get a chance to. And then I came here."

"Why didn't you tell us this earlier, Denae?" Doc asked sternly. He rubbed his temples.

"Because I didn't want to get you guys involved. I have no idea what organization this is or what they do. I only know it is very dangerous and I'm pretty sure it's a global operation" I thought about the mysterious Volturi and I shook my head. "I didn't want to bring any more attention to myself. So I came here. Well, she found me the other day."

"Oh, dear heavens," I heard Martha mutter. Jess was eerily silent as she clutched Faith closer to her body.

"And once again, Jacob saved me." I said and my voice grew with strength. "She's gone. Jacob has connections too, Doc. And they took care of her." I knew Doc wouldn't question who Jacob's 'connections' were. Doc knew a lot of people from when he used to work for the government and he understood the way you kept helpful connections is by not sharing the names of those connections with anyone else. I took a deep breath. "Can't you see? I would be dead by now if it wasn't for Jacob. I love him and he loves me. You three mean the world to me, and I want you to accept Jacob, too."

Nervous energy buzzed through the air as everyone fell silent. The weight of my words seemed to be crashing down on me. I was anxious from lying so much, but I hoped I had pulled it off without looking too suspicious. I wanted to laugh as I realized how this only further explained why Jacob and I were such a good match. I was an excellent liar, and he had a secret I could never tell.

Finally Jessilyn broke the silence. She stood and placed Faith on the couch. We all watched silently as she straightened her shirt and walked over to Jacob. Her high heels clicked on the hardwood floor.

"Hi, I'm Jessilyn Kinder. I'm Miss Walters' best friend. It's nice to meet you."

Jacob's eyes widened at Jessilyn. He stared at her outstretched hand for a moment before replying. "Um, I'm Jacob Black. Nice to meet you too." He shook Jessilyn's hand and shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Alright now, Mr. Black, Denny says she loves you. Do you love her, too?" Jessilyn asked as she crossed her arms across her chest. Her eyes were slightly narrowed as she regarded Jacob speculatively. She exuded control and power and I smiled. It was good to have her back.

Jacob looked at me and I gave him a small smile. Instantly, a wide grin broke out on his face. "Yes," he replied, still looking at me. "I love her."

Jessilyn nodded. She turned towards where Doc and Martha were watching with raised eyebrows. "Well, that's enough for me," she said. "Faith, do you like Jacob?"

"Yup," Faith nodded. "I think he's Denny's prince."

"I think so too," Jess agreed with a straight face. She walked back to her spot on the couch and sat down and crossed her legs as if nothing had happened.

Martha stood and I saw she had tears in her eyes. "Young man, you seemed to be very passionate about Denae. I agree with Jess. That's enough for me." She hugged me and then hugged Jacob, who awkwardly hugged her back. "I'm Martha, by the way."

"I-It's nice to meet you," Jacob replied. He was very uncomfortable and unsure, but I felt so proud of him for staying calm and trying to be civil to the people I cared about, even though they were teetering on the edge of civility themselves.

All eyes turned to Doc. His impassive gaze never left mine. My leg began to bounce anxiously. Doc's approval meant the world to me, and I wanted so badly for him to trust Jacob.

"If you ever, ever do anything to hurt Denny I will hunt you down and find you. I will be your worst nightmare." Doc said as his intense gaze bore into Jacob's eyes. "Do you understand that?"

Jacob swallowed hard. "Y-yes. Of course." He nodded. "I could never hurt her in any way." He actually seemed to be a little intimidated by Doc's tone.

Doc nodded the stood and offered his hand to Jacob. "I'm Roger. Everyone calls me Doc though."

Jacob stood and shook Doc's hand. "Nice to meet you, sir." I smiled brightly at the sight as a wave of relief crashed through me.

"I am going to give you a chance because Denny seems to think a lot of you, and Jess is usually a good judge of character. But I will be waiting for you to screw up." He released Jacob's hand and sat back down. Martha rolled her eyes and gave me a wink.

"So, what do you do Jacob?" Jessilyn asked in her usual perky tone. You couldn't tell that she had just been threatening to cut off an important part of Jacob's body a few moments before. I was glad for the change of subject, even though it meant more half-lies.

"Well, I live over on the rez, La Push, and I work for the rez. We just keep it safe and stuff. I also work on cars." Jacob shrugged. He wasn't totally comfortable yet, and I really wanted him to loosen up so Doc, Martha, and Jess could see the happy, sunny Jacob that I loved.

"Jacob actually totally rebuilt the car that he drives," I said in a proud tone. I patted his knee. "He knows a ton about all that."

"What kind of car?" Doc asked. I could tell I peaked Doc's interest. He loved working on cars. He always said when he retired from being a vet he was just going to buy old, broken down classic cars and rebuild them.

"A Volkswagen Rabbit," Jacob replied. He looked a little embarrassed.

"Really?" Doc leaned forward. "What did you rebuild on it?"

"Well, the engine was completely trashed," Jacob began and he and Doc were launched into a lengthy discussion about cars that I didn't even try to keep up with. My mind was too busy buzzing happily as the two most important men in my life appeared to actually have common ground and were no longer giving each other death glares.

When I realized that they were in their own little world talking about cars I turned towards Martha, and Jessilyn. "You guys want something to drink?"

They both nodded and Jessilyn carefully placed a sleeping Faith down on the couch and followed Martha and I into the kitchen.

When we were out of sight of the living room, Jess bounded over to me and threw her arms around me. "He's the one, isn't he, Denny?"

I blushed and looked down at my feet. "Yeah, he is," I said with a small smile. Jessilyn had no idea how true that statement was.

"He seems like a sweet young man," Martha said as I handed her a glass of water. "And he is very protective of you." Once again, the reality of that statement was kind of ironic.

"And he's gorgeous!" Jessilyn gushed. "Oh my gosh you guys are gonna have the most beautiful babies!"

I rolled my eyes but kept a happy smile on my face. This seemed like a normal conversation with normal friends about a normal boyfriend. I realized Jacob and I had had anything but a normal relationship. We hadn't even been out on a real date.

"Does he have any brothers?" Jess continued on. "Single ones?"

I couldn't help but laugh at her question. "Well, kind of. His group of friends who work with him are pretty much his brothers."

"Are they as good looking as he is?" Jessilyn asked as she grabbed a Coke from the fridge.

I pursed my lips in thought for a moment. "I guess?" I shrugged. I hadn't really thought about it. I knew the rest of the guys in the pack had similar features to Jacob, but I had never stopped to think if I considered them good looking or not. Ever since I had laid eyes on Jacob, I hadn't noticed any other guy that way. "I've never really thought about it. They are all really big and tall like Jacob."

"Well, help a sister out!" Jess giggled and Martha laughed at her antics. We both knew that even if I were to try to set Jess up with one of the single members of the pack, she wouldn't actually go for it. It was all a joke to her. She had Faith when she was 16, and Faith's father refused to have anything to do with either of them. Ever since then, she had sworn off guys and dating and dedicated her life to her daughter.

I hopped up on the counter and smiled. "Do you guys think Chase would approve?" I asked suddenly.

Jess and Martha stopped laughing and looked up at me with sad expressions on their faces. After a moment Martha nodded. "I do. I can tell Jacob makes you happy, dear. And you know that's all Chase ever wanted for you."

I nodded as tears came to my eyes. "I can't believe it's been a year," I said softly.

"I know," Jessilyn sighed. "It doesn't seem like it."

I shook my head. "I miss him,"

"We do too, sweetheart." Martha moved from her spot leaning against the counter to hug me. "You know he's looking down on you right now, and he's probably so proud of you."

I took a shaky breath. "Yeah," I said. I sniffed and wiped away the one tear that had managed to escape my eye.

A knock on the door interrupted our conversation. I jumped up and walked quickly to the front door. I opened it and saw Seth standing on the other side. He gave me a big smile. "Hey, Shorty!"

"Seth!" I said, happy to see one member of the pack. I felt really bad that the rest was mad at me, but I was glad Seth was still happy to see me. I gave him a quick hug. "Come in."

Seth walked in the door. "Okay, I can't stay long though; I just came to meet up with Jake so we can go…" he trailed off when he noticed that everyone was looking at him. "uh, work." He finished hesitantly as he glanced at the curious eyes around the room.

I gave an internal sigh of relief that he didn't say 'patrol' or 'kill some filthy bloodsuckers' and turned towards everyone in the living room. "Guys, this is Seth. He's a friend of Jacob's, they work together. Seth this is Doc, Martha, Jessilyn and Faith. They're my friends from Denton."

"Hi," Seth greeted them all cheerfully. "Shorty, or uh Denae, has told us a lot about you guys. It's nice to meet you all. Or should I say y'all." He smiled brightly. Jessilyn laughed and Doc and Martha's curious expressions turned into amused smiles. Seth had a tendency to lift anyone's spirits. He turned to Jacob. "I hate to do this, but are you ready to go, Jake?"

Jacob sighed and then nodded. "I guess, Sam will be mad if I just skip out." He stood. Doc stood with him and clapped Jacob on the back.

"It was good talking with you, Jacob." There was more behind his words, but I had the feeling it was a good sign.

"You too, sir." Jacob responded. I couldn't help but think about how cute he was being all respectful.

"Call me Doc,"

"When do you get done tonight?" I asked as Jacob moved towards me.

"Probably nine or so," Jacob said and then turned to Doc. "How long are you staying?"

"We'll leave the day after tomorrow," he said. "I gotta get back to the clinic. Mr. Johnson's mare is about to deliver, and I'm afraid it may be complicated." His words made me realize how much I missed working at the vet office.

Jacob nodded. "Well, then I'll see you all tomorrow then."

He leaned down and gave me a hug. I knew he was conscious of everyone watching us, so he just kissed the top of my head. "Be careful," I whispered.

"I will. You too,"

"Don't worry about me," I smiled.

"You know I will," he grinned. His smile dropped a little. "I'll stay at home tonight, okay?"

I sighed. "Okay," I was upset I wouldn't see Jacob until tomorrow, but I knew that everyone would probably assume something else if Jacob stayed at my house. "Love you,"

"Love you," Jacob kissed the top of my head again, and then he and Seth left after saying goodbyes to everyone else.

I turned back to the group. All three of them were looking at me. "What?" I blushed.

"That boy is head over heels for you, Denny." Doc shook his head. "I still don't know that I trust him totally, but I think feel better about you being here now that I know about him."

"Are you guys mad that I'm not going back to Denton?" I asked. I sat down on the couch and looked around into their faces nervously.

"Disappointed, but not mad," Doc replied. "I understand that you have settled in nicely here in Forks. And, I'm sure it's hard to go back to Denton after all that happened. "But Washington's a long way away."

I sighed. "I know," I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. "Being in Denton felt so…wrong after Chase died." I said slowly. I was trying to express how I felt without saying anything about the imprinting. But, I felt like I finally belonged. Everything fit, even though it was such a huge change from my life three months ago. "It just got hard being the same places without him there. When I came here I was so depressed for a while. I missed you guys." I looked up as my eyes filled with unshed tears. "Then, Jacob kinda happened and I was amazed at how fast I started to fit in. Something just feels right, for once in my life."

Martha patted my knee in a motherly gesture. "It looks like you've found your cure," she smiled at me.

"My cure?" I asked, not sure what she meant.

"Yes," Martha glanced over at Doc who smiled back at her. "You were broken before, Denny. We all saw it. You weren't you. But, today I saw the Denny I remember again. You're full of life, you seem happy, and you are able to love freely and be loved in return. That's what you need. It seems as if that boy was the cure."

I sat back in the couch, mulling over what Martha just said. She was right. My past with Grant had left me broken, but Jacob healed it. I was in a place where I thought I'd never be loved again. I thought about that for a moment and then realized that I kind of did the same with Jacob. Bella's rejection had broken him, and brought him to a place where he didn't have any hope to love again. But now, I can see his love for me every time I look in his eyes. I gave him that hope again, just as he gave hope to me. I smiled.

"I think you're right, Martha. Jacob is my cure."

"So, when is the wedding?" Jessilyn interrupted to moment with a laugh.

I rolled my eyes. "A long time from now, Jess." However, this brought about another thought I hadn't had. If Jacob was my forever, I guess at some point we would be married. I felt a fleeting moment of panic. I was only eighteen. I wasn't ready to settle down. I had a lot of things I wanted to do.

"She's young. Give her and the boy a chance to grow with each other." Martha scolded Jessilyn playfully.

I smiled at Martha. I wondered where she got these words of wisdom. She was right. Just because Jacob was my forever, didn't mean that we weren't going to change and grow and get to do all the things we wanted to do. I just would always have a stable, loving support to lean on.

"Well, Denny. What do you have to eat? I'm starving." Doc said. I could tell all the talk about love, and my relationship with Jacob was making him uncomfortable. He stood up and headed towards to kitchen. I followed behind, picturing a future for Jacob and I in my h_ead._


	22. Chapter 21: Bubbly

A/N: Here is a super short chapter that is kind of a filler. However, big things are coming, I promise! You all are great! Thank again for the reviews. No copyright infringement intended. All publicly recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

**Chapter 21**

**_Bubbly- Colbie Caillat_**

_It starts in my toes  
make me crinkle my nose  
where ever it goes  
I always know  
that you make me smile  
please stay for a while now  
just take your time  
__where ever you go_**_  
_**

"We just love having Denae around here. She is also our secret weapon on our volleyball team." I heard Rick saying to Doc above the voices of all the people around me. Sam laughed at the statement. I looked around in amazement.

The people from my three lives were blending, mingling, talking, and laughing together. It was pretty unreal. Martha, Bella, Emily, and Ashley were swapping recipes. Marie was talking happily to Kim who was listening attentively as she handed Claire and Faith crayons. The two little girls had instantly become best friends from the moment Claire let Faith wear her princess crown. Jessilyn talking quickly, telling a probably grossly over exaggerated story to Quil, Jared, and Collin. Bobby was also intently listening to Jessilyn talk. He was totally into her and his feelings for me appeared to be forgotten, thankfully. Jess had a knack for getting guys attention. Her blonde hair, big brown eyes, and long legs were definitely to thank.

"What are you thinking about?" Jacob murmured as he leaned down and kissed my temple. His long arm rested on the back of my chair as his fingers played with my hair. His other hand rested on top of mine where I had placed it on his leg.

I looked up from my inspection of the room and gave Jacob a big smile. "About how happy I am,"

Jacob smiled back at me and my insides warmed even more at the sight. "I'm glad you're happy. Everyone is getting along really well."

"I know!" I said excitedly. "It's amazing! I wish Paul, Embry, Leah, Brady, and Seth could be here."

Jacob's smile faltered slightly "I know, but someone's gotta keep your cute butt safe."

I rolled my eyes. "Cute butt? Really?"

Jacob just laughed and kissed the top of my head.

"Who's ready for pie?" Barb called as she walked out of the kitchen with several delicious looking pies. We were all at the restaurant and just had a huge meal. Everyone groaned, full of a delicious meal provided by Rick, except for the bottomless pit werewolves in the group who raised their hands excitedly.

When Rick found out that my friends from home were here he insisted they come to the restaurant. Then, Emily found out I had visitors and insisted as much of the pack as possible meet them. So, we all took up the back room at Forks Bar and Grill and had been eating and visiting the past few hours.

Bella smiled at me from across the table and I smiled back. I had invited Bella along because I wanted Jess, Doc, and Martha to meet her. They all loved her, and Bella said she liked them too.

Jacob offered me a fork-full of the chocolate pie he was eating and I shook my head. "No, I'm stuffed."

"Come on!" he said around a mouthful of pie. "It's amazing. Try a little." He moved the fork towards my mouth again.

"Nuh-uh. I'm so full." I rubbed my hand over my stomach for emphasis.

"Just try it," Jacob pleaded and I had to move my head away from his fork.

"Jacob!" I said as he touched my mouth with the fork, effectively getting chocolate pie on my lips. I jerked my head away and he laughed. I rolled my eyes and licked the pie off my lips only to be met with the most delicious taste ever. "Mmm, give me some more of that!" I said as I grabbed my own fork and dug into Jacob's huge piece of pie. I took a big bite and closed my eyes as I savored the taste.

"I thought you were stuffed?" Jacob asked mockingly. I moved my fork towards his pie and he grabbed it away quickly. "If you're so full you don't need pie."

"Stop being such a baby and share your pie," I insisted as I leaned into him and made a swipe in the direction of the pie with my fork. He had a teasing grin on his face as he moved it away again. "Jacob!" I pouted and looked up at him with wide eyes. I knew this would get him. "Please. I really want a piece." Okay, so I was kind of taking advantage of the whole Jacob being compelled to do whatever will make me happy thing, but the pie was really good.

"That's cheating," he complained as he slid the plate back towards me.

I grinned and took a big forkful of pie. "All is fair in pie and war,"

Jacob rolled his eyes with a chuckle. He kissed my cheek and then took another bite of the delicious homemade pie. I looked across the table and saw that everyone was looking at us with various expressions of amusement written across their faces.

Jessilyn turned to Bella who was sitting across the table. "It's almost a little disgusting, isn't it?" she stage whispered.

Bella just smiled but stayed silent. Jacob looked around the table. "Whaf?" he said with another mouthful of pie.

The table burst into laughter and I couldn't help but join in. Jacob shrugged and served himself another piece of chocolate pie. I looked around the table as everyone broke off into separate conversations again. I was completely content. I didn't want to be anywhere else. My mood had drastically improved when the guys from the pack had shown up and told me they weren't too mad about me crossing over to the 'dark side' as they referred to my support of the idea of working with the Cullens. I had a feeling Emily had something to do with their sudden change of heart. Before sitting down for dinner, though, I had told Sam I needed to speak to him later.

But, surrounded by friends and family, and being seated next to the love of my life (who had pie on his face) I felt so happy. I let thoughts of vengeful vampire armies drift out of my mind for the moment. The only thing that could have made the scene better was to have Chase there, meeting all of my friends and doing some stupid impression.

I sighed and shook the sad thoughts out of my head. Jacob was completely in tune to any change in my mood thanks to the imprint. He was looking doing at me with a questioning look. I just smiled and grabbed a napkin as I wiped the pie off of his face. I took a moment to just look at him and felt my smile widen at what I saw. Jacob Black was absolutely the most gorgeous guy alive. And he was mine.

Jessilyn's voice broke me out of my thoughts. "So where did you get that outfit again, Denny? It's so cute and just looks perfect on you!"

I looked down at what I was wearing; a nice, dark pair of jeans with a black long sleeved shirt and a pair of black heeled boots that went to my mid calf. They were clothes from Alice. I had washed them before I wore them around Jacob. "Um, a friend of Bella's got them for me, actually."

"Well you look great! Doesn't she Jake?" Jess asked Jacob as she winked at me.

Jacob grinned. "Denae always looks great,"

I smiled up at him, but heard Quil across the table groan. "He is such a suck up,"

"No I'm not. It's the truth." Jacob defended and shot a smile my direction. I smiled back, and then my eyes met Doc's from across the table. For the first time since he had arrived in Forks, his face broke out into a full-blown smile. His eyes crinkled in the corner as he smiled at me, and I knew that Jacob had passed whatever impossible test Doc had set up for him. I gave Doc a bright smile and wrapped my arm around Jacob's. I rested my head on his shoulder as I just soaked in the feeling of having all my loved ones around me.

However, too soon the evening was over. We all left the restaurant and I was pleased to see that a couple of newly acquainted guest exchanged phone numbers. Martha and Emily I was happy to see were two of those people. But, I was ecstatic when Jess gave her number to Bobby. Even though they lived far apart I knew it was good for both of them.

Doc and I rode back in my car as Martha, Jess, and Faith followed behind us in the truck. As we drove carefully down the slick roads Doc began to speak.

"We're leaving in the morning," he paused. "I'm sorry you're not coming back with us. But, after seeing how head-over-heels that boy is for you, I know you'll be okay. You've got him wrapped around your little finger, Denny. You know that right?"

I took my eyes off of the road for a moment to flash Doc a bright smile. "Yeah, I know that. I'm sorry that I won't be able to see you guys all the time, too. But, I've started a new life here. It feels right."

Doc sighed. "I guess it was hard for me to understand. I've lived in Denton my whole life, and my daddy lived there his whole life, too. But we didn't go through the awful things you've gone through. You looked happy tonight, Denae and you have a good support here. You're going to be alright."

I wished settling into Forks was the only thing I had to worry about. In the back of my mind the ever present twinge of fear about the upcoming war made itself known, but I refused to let it bother me. I just smiled up at Doc and nodded. "Yeah. I'm going to be alright."

Saying goodbye to them in the morning was hard. I cried. Martha cried. Jessilyn cried. Doc even looked like he teared up a little. But, I had Jacob with me and after a while I had settled back down and I was wrapped up in his arms when a knock came to the door.

"It's for you," Jacob said with a frown. I gave him a questioning look, but stood and opened the door.

The whole pack, with the exception of Collin, Brady, and Jared was standing at the door.

"We need to talk," Sam said from his position in front of the group.

The boys and Leah entered my house one by one.

"Lucyyyy you have some 'splainin' to do!" Paul did his best Ricky Ricardo imitation and I rolled my eyes as he ruffled my hair.

"Alright, Shorty," Sam addressed me. "What did those filthy bloodsuckers do to you to make you take their side? Some kind of brain washing?"

I sighed as I mentally prepared my best argument and prayed for the patience to get through the discussion.


	23. Chapter 22: Speechless

A/N: Thanks for the great reviews last time! I have the most amazing readers! Let me know what you think about this one! All publicly recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended. Thanks!

* * *

**THE CURE**

**_Chapter 22_**

**Speechless- The Veronicas**

_Cuz you leave me speechless_  
_When you talk to me_  
_You leave me breathless_  
_The way you look at me_  
_You manage to disarm me_  
_My soul is shining through_  
_Can't help but surrender_  
_My everything to you_**  
**

"Okay," I said finally, after looking each of the members of the pack in the eyes. "Let's get something straight right now. I was not brainwashed into anything. I formed this opinion on my own freewill."

"Yeah, but you talked to the blonde one," Leah spoke up. "The one that messes with your emotions; how do you know he didn't manipulate you to see it his way?"

"Because," I sighed. "I'm not under his influence now and I still feel the same way about it." I paused. "Alright. Let me ask you guys some questions. First, isn't it your job to protect people from vampires?" I paused and waited as everyone shook their head vigorously. "Okay, well define for me who these people are. Just Quileutes?"

"We are supposed to protect our tribe, not vampires," Quil said in a proud tone. I realized that Quil's statement was true for the whole pack. They felt like joining up with the Cullens meant that they would be protecting them.

"Well if you are just supposed to protect your tribe, then I guess you can't protect me," I shrugged and sat back and everyone began talking at once and insisting that wasn't true.

Jacob had been silent, but when he spoke everyone quieted down. "You are my imprint. That makes you part of the tribe and that means that _I will_ protect you."

I knew Jacob was right so, I changed topics. "You won't let the Cullens change Bella because you have to protect humans from being bitten by vampires, right?"

No one nodded this time. "Where are you going with this, Denae?" Sam had a wary look on his face.

"Am I right, Sam?" I looked at him expectantly.

Sam nodded hesitantly. "Yeah, you're right."

"So, where does Bella fall into all this? Does she fall under your protection?" I asked, leaning forward.

Sam furrowed his eyebrows. "Well…yeah…I guess."

"So you need to protect Bella because it's your duty? Just like protecting me, a part of your tribe, is your duty?" I asked.

"So, that means the Cullens need to just stay out of it all together!" Paul interjected.

"Get to the point, Denae." Sam said sternly. Jacob shot him a glare; I assumed it was because of the tone of voice he used with me.

"The Cullens are going to protect Bella because she is with Edward. They have a bond that is similar to mine and yours Jacob." I looked over at him and he scowled.

"Their 'love'," He made quotation motions with his fingers. "Is nothing like what you and I share, Denae."

"It is," I insisted. "Not the same, but the same idea. They're going to protect her because they love her. It's just like you are going to protect me because you love me. It's just a fact, and there is no changing it. But, you are bound by duty to protect both Bella and I. Don't you get it? You have to work with the Cullens."

Sam narrowed his eyes. "We don't have to work with those leeches."

"They aren't leeches!" I noticed my voice was getting a little out of hand so I took a deep breath. "Think about it! All of that power of the pack combined with Edward, Alice, and Jasper's abilities."

"The Cullens are the reason that we are wolves," Sam said as he gave me an angry glare. "My hatred for them is deep. My life was normal before I phased." Out of the corner of my eye I saw Leah suck in a breath at that statement but everyone stayed quiet. "But their presence changed all that. I thought this hatred for vampires was something we shared, but I guess I was wrong. You're just a leech lover, too."

"That's enough!" Jacob's voice boomed loudly as he stood from his spot next to me. "I don't care if you disagree with Denae's opinions but you will not talk to her like that."

I watched with wide eyes, expecting Sam to respond angrily, but he just took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm sorry, Jake. You're right. I shouldn't have spoken to Denae like that." Sam turned his eyes to me. "I'm sorry, Denae."

"I-It's okay," I said as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. "Listen, just try to see this from my point of view, okay? Victoria killed my brother. She also wants to kill me, or worse, turn me into a bloodsucker. I am terrified." My voice shook a little. I was telling the truth. I wanted to appear strong and steady for the pack, but I knew I needed them to understand why I thought working with the Cullens was a good idea. "I know you guys will protect me. I feel so safe knowing you guys will be out there. But I'm so scared that something will happen to one of you." I let my eyes travel around the room until I finally was looking Jacob in the eyes. "I want to do whatever it takes to make sure that I don't lose one of you, and that Victoria is killed. If working with the Cullens will improve that chance, then I'm all for it." I blinked away the tears that had formed in my eyes as I moved my gaze down to my hands.

The room was silent for a few moments until Seth spoke. "She has a really good point. And the Cullens want that bloodsucker dead as much as we do. We have a mutual enemy." The defeat I felt a moment before faded a little and I was so glad the ever positive Seth was present.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," Embry quoted. My eyes darted up to meet his and he gave me a small smile. I returned the smile. Embry was shyer than the rest of the pack, and I was glad he spoke up.

"It wouldn't be easy, but I guess it's not impossible," Leah grumbled unhappily.

Paul snorted. "I guess it doesn't really matter as long as I get to kill some bloodsuckers."

"They will probably protect Bella heavily, which means we can protect Denae better," Quil strategized with a frown. I smiled at my friends.

Sam looked at Jacob. "Jake?"

I looked up nervously to see that Jacob's face held one of his ever-frustrating, unreadable expressions. The room was silent as Jacob stared down at me. "I don't like it. Not one bit." I held my breath. "But…I'll work with them." My eyes widened and I gave a little gasp at his words. He didn't look happy but at least he wasn't angry.

All eyes turned to Sam and I bounced my leg nervously, waiting for his response. "Tell the Cullens we want to meet with them and discuss the details of this arrangement. Be sure to express that this will be a temporary alliance, and that the details of the treaty are still intact. We may discuss lifting the treaty line, but only for the fight. Until then and after it is over, the line remains the same."

I wanted to jump with joy. I was so glad they had agreed to this. Something just felt right about it. However, I kept a calm face on as I nodded. "I'll let them know. Thank you, Sam. I think this is going to be a good thing."

Sam sighed and rubbed his hand over his tired face. "You certainly have a way with words, Shorty. It makes it very hard to win an argument." He looked at Jacob. "Good luck with that."

Jacob gave Sam a small smile that looked almost proud. "She can be very convincing," He glanced down at me and I gave him a big grin.

"We have to go now," Sam said, standing. "We have left Jared with two very inexperienced members. Jacob, go with Denae to talk to the Cullens, and then fill me in on your shift tonight." Sam instructed.

And, with a whirlwind of goodbyes, the pack was gone and it was just Jacob and I. I looked up at him and smiled. "Thank you, so much." I moved so I was kneeling on the couch. I pulled his face into my hands and looked into his eyes. "I know how much you hate them. But, this feels right."

Jacob grabbed my hips and pulled me on top of him. "I think my cooperation deserves a reward," he said as he gave me a tired smile.

I locked my hands behind his head and beamed at him. "Absolutely," I said and then leaned in and kissed him. His growling stomach interrupted our kiss and I giggled. "Lunch time?"

He nodded. "I'll make something," he grinned and got up off of the couch.

I decided to call Bella and tell her the good news.

"Hey, Bells. Are you busy?" I asked her.

"No, what's wrong?" Bella asked, sounding a little panicked.

"Nothing!" I said quickly as I realized she was probably assuming the worst. "I'm calling to let you know that I've talked to Sam and the pack."

"Oh," she paused. "Oh!" I heard the realization hit her. "I'll call Edward!" and she hung up.

I looked down at the phone in surprise. "I think she just hung up on me," I told Jacob.

He turned from cooking us lunch at the stove and grinned at me. "Bells gets flustered easily and sometimes doesn't realize what she's doing."

I nodded and smiled back as I watched him flip the grilled cheese sandwiches he was cooking. "So I've noticed. It's pretty entertaining."

"I bet, especially since you are always able to stay so calm and collected," He had turned back around and was concentrating on cooking.

I raised my eyebrows. "What? No I'm not."

Jacob turned back around and gave me a pointed look. "You can't honestly think that," I just shrugged in response. He shook his head. "Okay, let's look at just the past two days. You've somehow managed to convince the over-protective, gun-slinging, cowboy Doc and sarcastic, blunt, and some-what scary Jessilyn that I am the most perfect guy alive and that you are in no danger, when in reality you are in unbelievable danger."

"You are the most perfect guy alive and I'm not in danger because you're here," I shrugged.

Jacob laughed. "Jess was about to cut off a very important part of my body when she got here and you changed her opinion in a few moments," he reached over and shut off the burner. "And I don't want to even know what Doc wanted to do with me, but he was joking around and seemed fine with leaving you here with me when he left." I watched as he put four sandwiches on a plate for himself and one on a plate for me and the carried them over to where I was sitting at the table.

"I don't think that means I'm calm and collected,"

"Well what about today?" he asked as he slid my plate towards me and grabbed his sandwich. "You convinced a pack of werewolves to form alliance with a coven of vampires. Not to mention most members of the pack have a personal hatred for this particular vampire coven that extends beyond the normal mortal enemies stuff." He took a big bite of his sandwich. I did the same as I thought about his words. "And," he added. "you never shouted or lost your temper. You were able to stay calm and control the situation. It's kind of scary how good you are at that."

I frowned. "I don't do it just to get my way or anything,"

"Yes, you do," Jacob laughed.

My frowned deepened. "Okay, well I guess so. But only because I think it's the right thing to do." I looked up at him. "You don't think I'm manipulative, do you?"

Jacob scooted his seat closer to me. "Nope, I think that people trust you because you're a good person. And since they trust you, they do what you say."

We were both lost in our own thoughts as we finished our lunch in a comfortable silence. I was mulling over Jacob's words as I dried and put away the dishes and he took a shower. I hadn't ever seen that in myself. But, the more I thought about it, there were a lot of times where I was able to persuade people to change their minds. Maybe Victoria was right. If I was changed, maybe I would have some freaky power. I shook the thought from my mind. I didn't want to think about that with the war only being a few weeks away.

I heard Jacob whistling as he walked down the hall. I turned and saw that he was still wet from his shower and little beads of water were dripping from his hair, down his muscled chest and disappearing in to the towel wrapped around his waist. I was struck by the beauty of Jacob as he looked at me with one of his boyish smiles.

"What?" he asked and his husky voice struck me to my core.

I opened my mouth to respond, but couldn't. Jacob Black had left me speechless. He took a step towards me and I found that he made me breathless as well. For the thousandth time I wondered how this gorgeous man could love me so much. I had a battered and broken past, but he fixed me and loved me. And, I loved him.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly aware of the effect he had on me. He moved towards me with smooth, purposeful strides and reminded me a lot of the fluid, confident strides he took as a wolf. He was unbearably sexy and as he moved closer I swallowed hard and licked my suddenly dry lips. He stood close to me as I leaned against the counter and tilted my head back to look up into his brown eyes. He leaned down slowly "Like what you see?" he whispered and then nibbled on my earlobe as his hands made their way to my waist. I couldn't help but shiver in delight as his warm breath washed over me and his words sent tingles down my spine. I opened my mouth to speak again but at the same time Jacob began to kiss down my neck and an embarrassing moan was the only noise I could make.

I could feel his chuckle vibrate against me. I swallowed hard and let my head fall back as Jacob continued his assault on my neck. The moment was so different that the normal innocent, loving moments between Jacob and I. We hadn't ever crossed the line into this passionate area, but I instantly decided I never wanted to leave it. My blood was singing in my veins and I could feel the flush spreading across my face.

"Shit," Jacob said against my collarbone and I snapped my eyes open and looked down at him. "The leeches are here. That figures. They're gonna love our thoughts and emotions I'm sure." My eyes widened as I looked towards the door. It seemed to hit me at once that Jacob and I had just shared a very sensual moment in my kitchen whilst he was only wearing a towel. And now, Jasper and Edward were going to find out exactly what was going on. His smile caused my already frantic heart to pick up. "This will be fun. I'm going to go put some pants on, but don't think that I'm done with you." His eyes were still dark and he leaned down and gave me a searing kiss.

"So much for calm and collected," I gasped out in a shaky voice. Jacob let out a loud, booming laugh.

He turned quickly and walked towards the back of the house, still chuckling, as a knock came to the door. I jumped and clutched my chest. The kiss had left panting, and I was still trying to find my voice. I rushed to the door and took a quick glance in the mirror. I was still breathing hard and my face held a tell tale blush. It would probably be easy to guess what had been going on, even if Edward and Jasper didn't already know. I opened the door and plastered a smile on my face. "Uh, hey!" I squeaked.

Bella smiled, oblivious to my frazzled disposition. "Hey Denae!" she said as she walked in the room. "Where's Jake?"

My mind darted to the image of Jacob's back retreating down the hall and I heard Edward groan under his breath. "Um, getting changed," I answered as I shot a glare to Edward.

"I hope we aren't interrupting anything," Jasper grinned as he walked in the room behind Edward and Alice. Carlisle and Esme smiled at me warmly as they walked into my living room.

"Uh, no. It's fine." I said, still blushing. I took several deep breaths to calm myself. Jacob could not have been more wrong about the calm and collected thing.

"Hello, Jacob." Carlisle greeted as Jacob walked into the room, thankfully wearing both a shirt and pants.

Jacob nodded uncomfortably. I moved quickly to his side as everyone took their seats. I put a hand on Jacob's knee, mostly so I could tell if he started to get angry, but partly because I couldn't seem to keep my hands off of him.

After a moment I spoke. "Sam and the pack have agreed to work with your family," I looked at Jasper.

He gave me a big smile. "I knew you could do it,"

Jacob's posture stiffened but I just patted his knee soothingly. "It's not going to be easy," I warned. "The pack isn't keen on working with you all, as I'm sure you can imagine. They are doing it to keep Bella and I safe. Sam wanted me to remind you the details of the treaty still stand. Although, the treaty line may change," I glanced at Jacob who sighed and nodded in confirmation. "But it will only be temporary and will be put back in place once this has all passed."

Carlisle spoke up. "That is completely understandable. The treaty helps create a balance between us."

Bella seemed disappointed at the words, and I knew it's because she wanted Edward to change her, but the treaty forbid that. However, I knew that it was more than just a treaty keeping Edward from changing Bella into a vampire. But, that was way too complicated of a situation for the present moment.

I nodded. "Exactly. Now, we need to arrange a time where the pack can meet with you and discuss details of a strategy."

"We have under three weeks, and I would like to get as much training in as possible." Jasper said. "Why not right now."

"Uh, I don't think that's a good idea." I was nervous about arguing with Jasper and his military background, but I knew that meeting with the pack immediately would be disastrous. "The pack just came around to the idea today. I really think it would be wise to give them a chance to think it over and settle down. Maybe even come up with some strategy ideas themselves. I know you have a lot of experience in this Jasper but there is a part of them, deep down in their DNA that was born for this."

Jasper paused for a moment. "I suppose you're right. Forgive me, I tend to think my experience outweighs everything in this situation and I forget how qualified the pack is."

Jacob grumbled next to me and I leaned into him a little bit hoping he'd keep his mouth shut.

"Thank you, Jasper. This situation is uncomfortable for all involved what about sometime early next week? Maybe Monday evening?" I asked. The Cullens all nodded in agreement. "Great, Jacob will let the pack know."

"Thank you. We, of course, will pass the news on to Emmett and Rosalie. Please extend our feelings of gratitude to Sam and the pack, Jacob." Carlisle said politely as he stood. The rest of the family did the same and Jacob and I followed suit. "Denae, once again, we appreciate all you've done."

I smiled warmly at Carlisle. He was impossible not to like. "It's been no problem. Something just feels right to me about this."

The Cullens began to leave, one by one telling Jacob and I thank you. I was surprised when Alice leaned in and hugged me. "Great outfit! I guess some of it did fit!" she laughed happily.

I nodded. "Thanks again, Alice. I've gotten lots of compliments on the clothes." She grinned in response.

Edward, who had stayed quiet during the meeting, approached me as Alice grabbed Jasper's hand and headed out the door behind Carlisle and Esme. "I don't know how to thank you enough, Denae. This is going work because of you. And thank you, Jacob. I know this is difficult for you, but this means Bella will be safe, and you don't know how much that means to me."

Jacob's arm wrapped around my waist. "Actually, I do." I smiled up at Jacob. Bella and Edward said goodbye and I responded appropriately, but my eyes were glued to Jacob's intense gaze.


	24. Chapter 23: Don't Let It Go To Your Head

A/N: Um, I finished this chapter pretty quickly and thought it was a fun chapter...so I went ahead and posted it! I hope you all enjoy. Let me know what you think! No copyright infringement intended...All publicly recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer :)

**A QUICK THANK YOU:** To my ALL reviewers! We've reached over 100 reviews! How exciting! I love each and every review :) A shout-out to LadyAmazon who was the 100th reviewer! Thank you, dear! Also special thanks to: narniagirl19 & EclipseLover97. You guys review EVERY CHAPTER! And I love it! I always know I can count on you guys! :) Thanks a bunch! Okay...on to the story!

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 23**

**_Don't Let It Go To Your Head - Jordin Sparks_**

_Just cause I can't go on  
Just cause I die when you're gone  
And just cause I think of you in bed  
Don't let it go to your head  
If I looked in your eyes  
One, two, too many times  
And memorize every word you said  
Don't let it go to your head  
Oh oh  
Don't let it go to your head  
_

The next several days flew by. I was very glad to be back at work so I could keep my mind off of the events that were unfolding over the next two and a half weeks. One of the members of the pack (usually Seth) would pick me up and bring me to work. I worked a long shift and then another member of the pack (usually Paul) picked me up and brought me home exhausted. I'd fall asleep, wake up and do the same thing. The only down part was that I barely got to see Jacob. Apparently, the pack had been running even longer patrols and there had been lots of discussions about what route the pack should take to working with the Cullens. I crawled into bed around midnight each night, and then usually around four AM, Jacob would show up and collapse in bed next to me. We spent most of our time together sleeping.

Before I knew it, it was time for the Cullens and the pack to meet to discuss working together. Jacob didn't want me to go at all. He was afraid things would get out of hand and I'd get hurt. However, Sam surprisingly insisted that I attend the meeting. Jasper was also fairly persistent about me going. Both seemed to want me to mitigate the meeting, which I was a little shocked about, considering I definitely was more biased towards Jacob and the pack.

The meeting was to take place at the treaty line in the woods. It was freezing outside but Bella and I were the only ones affected by the cold as we stood on our respective sides, bundled up tightly against the frigid wind. I was glad I had Jacob with me. He was in his wolf form, just as the rest of the pack besides Sam was and he stood next to me. I snuggled up to his side soaking up the heat of his warm body and softly stroking his fur. He looked down at me with familiar brown eyes and gave me a goofy smile before he licked my face.

I just laughed and dramatically wiped my hand over the spot where he licked me. "Gross," I giggled, which only caused Jacob to lick my face again.

"I'd like to say thank you so much for being here today," Carlisle began in a pleasant tone. "My family and I are so grateful that you are willing to put aside our differences to take care of this situation."

Sam only nodded his head once in response. His arms were crossed and he looked very imposing. He and Jacob were the largest members of the pack both in human and wolf form and he towered over Carlisle.

"My son, Jasper, has dealt with this sort of threat before. I'm sure Jacob or Denae have filled you in on this. But, before Jasper begins to speak I wanted to hear what sort of ideas you had for this arrangement." Carlisle looked at Sam. Again, I was amazed at Carlisle's demeanor towards the wolves. The rest of his family was standing behind him, and it was obvious they weren't as comfortable as Carlisle was. Emmett was glaring at Paul (who was glaring right back). Jasper's gaze kept sweeping the pack, obviously scanning for any threatening emotions. Alice stood slightly behind him, and she and Rosalie shared several looks together. Esme was watching Carlisle nervously as he spoke. And Edward looked tortured. I could only imagine the awful things some of the pack was probably purposefully thinking about in order to annoy Edward.

I'm sorry Edward. I'm sure the boys probably aren't behaving themselves. I said mentally. He looked at me and smiled and shrugged.

Sam finally spoke. "We have discussed this issue many times over the past few days," he paused. "We are open to any ideas you may have, but we do have one stipulation that we are not willing to waver on."

"Of course," Carlisle responded.

I looked at Sam, curious as to what this stipulation was. "The protection of Denae will come first for the pack. Whatever we believe will keep her safe will overrule any sort of plan or strategy we set up in advance." I think my jaw dropped. I looked up at Jacob and he winked at me. My eyes went back to Sam, who was still speaking. "She is Jacob's imprint. If anything happens to her, Jacob would be directly affected by it. The legends say if an imprint dies, usually the wolf will too. We want to do whatever it takes to keep both Jacob and Denae alive. Each of us love Denae as a sister and we will protect her first, no matter what."

My heart swelled with Sam's words and I felt tears prickle my eyes. Paul, who was standing next to me, nudged me with his nose. I looked over at him and he gave me a sarcastic eye roll that obviously was saying "Suck it up." I laughed and lightly punched his front leg.

"That is absolutely understandable," Carlisle said. "Of course we agree to this."

"The same goes for Bella," Edward spoke up suddenly. "We should be able to have that same stipulation with Bella."

Sam's jaw tightened. I knew that he, along with the rest of the pack, saw the relationship between Edward and Bella as unnatural and wrong. "I suppose that will be fine with us. It would be hypocritical of us to say otherwise." Sam said tersely.

I let out a breath. At first I was afraid that Sam would say no, which would only cause issues. So far, everything seemed to be going smoothly. I hadn't said a word, and that was okay with me.

"Why don't I let Jasper speak a little now about what it is like to fight newborns? He has a lot of experience in this area and he has a lot of useful information." Carlisle motioned for Jasper to step forward.

Jasper squeezed Alice's hand and then took a step forward. I saw Jacob and several members of the pack (besides Seth, who actually seemed rather comfortable) tense up. Jasper was seen as a fighter and the pack saw him as a huge threat.

"The vampires you will be fighting will be under one year old," Jasper spoke and just by the stance he had taken and the tone of his voice it was easy to see that he had been a great leader during the Civil War, and probably during the vampire wars he fought in. He cut right to the chase and spoke in a clear, even tone. "It is easy to make the assumption that since they are young they will not be good fighters. You may think that they should be easy to take out. Well, they are, but only if you know what you're doing. Newborns fight differently. Often when older vampires attack we will assess our opponent and try to find a weakness to take advantage of. Often, our opponent is doing the same." His gaze swept the pack. "But, newborns don't hesitate to do that. They are driven to kill. They will make a kill attack first thing, they won't pause to wear down or injure their opponent. They are going to go in for the kill first thing. This may not seem like a big threat, but newborn's strength exceeds an older vampire's strength in unimaginable ways. They move faster and hit harder than most vampires.

Not only are they strong, but they have an intense bloodlust. That is how Victoria or anyone who is raising a newborn army is able to have control over newborns. They provide the blood for the newborns, so the newborns follow their command. They are also still coping with being turned, so they will follow mature vampires easier. There is a good chance that there is an older vampire leading the army and taking direct orders from Victoria if she is doing this the right way." Jasper paused for a moment. "Do you care if we demonstrate?"

Sam nodded. "Go ahead,"

Jasper turned. "Emmett, you're going to help."

Emmett gave Jasper a big grin. "Alright!" he ran, at vampire speed, next to Jasper. Once again, I was amazed at how big Emmett was. He was standing directly across from me and gave me a wink. "Hey there, Denae, the vampire slaying wolf tamer!"

I grinned, even though Jacob growled softly next to me. "Hi Emmett," I responded with a chuckle.

"Okay, Emmett, focus." Jasper shot a look to Jacob, clearly making sure he was calming down. "Emmett is the strongest out of all of us. Also, his attack methods are the most similar to a newborn."

"Hey!" Emmett said with a glare. "They are not!"

"Just go stand over by those trees, Emmett, and you'll see what I mean. It's not always a bad thing." Emmett scowled and mumbled under his breath something that caused a couple of the Cullens to laugh. I even saw Sam try to hide a small smile. Jasper shook his head. "I'm going to show you that even though your opponent may be stronger than you, that doesn't mean you can't win." Emmett had taken a crouched position several yards away from Jasper. He was still glaring at Jasper, clearly annoyed by the newborn comment. "Alright, Em. Attack me." Jasper still had a casual stance. He was obviously not worried about Emmett hurting him, even though Emmett made Jasper look very small.

"No prob, bro." Emmett said through clenched teeth. Jacob nudged me back with his nose and Paul grabbed my shirt with his teeth and gave me a gentle tug back. They wanted me to back up. I took several steps back with Jacob, but kept my eyes on what was about to take place in front of me.

Emmett was suddenly moving and with a blur he clashed with Jasper. The sound produced by the two vampires hitting together was a loud crack that echoed throughout the woods. I gasped as the two moved too quickly for my eyes to keep up with. Within about three seconds Jasper had Emmett in a headlock and had his teeth blared at his throat. "You're dead Em," Jasper said with a smile as he released. Emmett.

Emmett growled. "Re-do! I let you win."

Jasper rolled his eyes. "Alright, go ahead." The two separated and I saw that Emmett had a very determined look on his face. "Okay, Em attack…" Jasper didn't have a chance to finish his sentence, because Emmett had already started moving. Again, only a few seconds passed and somehow Jasper had Emmett on the ground and once again his teeth were bared at Emmett's throat. Vampires didn't actually have fangs like the books and movies depicted, but Jasper certainly looked frightening before he released Emmett, stood, and with a smile offered his hand to Emmett.

I looked to where Sam was standing. His eyes were wide with surprise and his mouth was in a tight line. He was as impressed as I was with Jasper's skill. Emmett stood without the help of Jasper's extended hand. Jasper just chuckled and turned back to the group. "Okay, did you see how Emmett went straight for my middle both times?" A few wolves nodded their heads and perked their ears up as they listened intently to what Jasper was going to say. "That's because with his strength, usually all Emmett needs is one shot, and he's got you pinned. It's similar with newborns. They fight with their muscle, which usually works for Emmett. But, since I know that Emmett is stronger than I am, I know how to deflect his blows. Rather than hitting him straight on in his middle, the strategy I used both times is going up, around his shoulders." He turned to Emmett. "Em, grab me around my middle again." Emmett rolled his eyes but listened to Jasper. Jasper put his hands on Emmett's shoulder and took a step back, breaking Emmett's grip. "See, they'll be off balance because they have tried to center their weight so much. Then, I just give a push on his shoulders, so he'll move easily," he pushed Emmett's shoulders and spun him around. "And then move my arms up for a headlock. Obviously this maneuver would need to be changed for wolves, but I'd imagine the same idea would apply." He looked at Sam who nodded in agreement. "You just have to move fast."

"Whatever," Emmett muttered. "I'm done." He walked back to Rosalie, who was trying not to laugh.

"This maneuver can work with anyone. Alice, do you mind?" He smiled at his wife.

Bella's eyes almost bugged out of her head. "But she's so small!" she said, echoing my thoughts.

"Don't worry, Bella," Jasper said. "We're vampires. Alice is a lot tougher than you think."

"Yeah, Bella, I got this." She grinned and gracefully walked over to where Jasper had been standing as Jasper moved towards the trees Emmett had been standing in front of. Alice moved like a ballerina and was just as small and delicate looking as one. I was worried Jasper might hurt her on accident. She crouched down and gave Jasper a snarl that seemed very unnatural coming from her usually smiling face. It was scary enough to make me take a step back and closer to Jacob.

Jasper smiled. "Alright, Alice, just use the maneuver that I just discussed. I'll attack as if I'm a newborn."

Alice nodded, "I'm ready,"

Jasper moved, and once again there was the same blur then loud crack as they collided. I gasped. In a few moments though, Alice had Jasper in a headlock with her teeth at Jasper's throat. She giggled and kissed Jasper on the cheek before releasing him.

"Well done," Jasper grinned and I couldn't help but smile. Jasper usually was very serious, but it was obvious that Alice was his weak spot and source of happiness. He turned back towards the wolves. "There are several more strategies to taking out the newborns. I know you don't want to be away from your patrols for too long, and I think it would be good if some of us went to hunt. My family and I will be training and practicing several more times throughout the week if you would like to come and watch." He spoke to Sam in a very formal tone.

"We'll be here," Sam said. "Thank you for showing us these techniques." He said rather uncomfortably.

Jasper just nodded in response and went to stand next to Alice.

"Is Wednesday evening alright with you, Sam?" Carlisle asked.

Sam nodded. "Yes,"

"Okay. And once again, we are so thankful for your understanding. Together I think we can take care of this situation." He glanced at Bella with a worried look.

Sam just nodded and then turned towards the thicker part of woods. A few moments later he returned as a wolf and looked at the pack. The members split up. Jacob licked my face and then looked towards the part of the woods Sam and just phased in. I assumed he was phasing back to bring me home, so I nodded at him to go on. As he trotted off towards the trees Jasper approached me.

"You make it look easy you know," I said with a smile as the rest of the Cullens and Bella walked towards me. "Even I think I can take out Emmett now." I teased.

Emmett just rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Jazz. Now even the humans are making fun of me."

We all laughed. "Denae, I think I found some more clothes for you. When are you going to come over again?" Alice asked.

"Oh, um…I don't know," I said nervously. I remembered the last time I had been at the Cullen's house. It had caused a fight between Jacob and I. I found that I was totally comfortable and hardly thought of them as vampires anymore, but I knew Jacob thought otherwise. "I'll get back to you on that one." I mumbled as Jacob jogged out of the woods.

"Has your wrist healed?" Carlisle asked me, glancing at my wrist.

"Yes. It feels great. My shoulder is back to normal, too. Thanks again!" I smiled, remembering the first time I had met the Cullens.

"Great!" Carlisle said.

Jacob had reached us at this point. "We better get you home. I have to go on patrol."

I looked up and had to stop myself from frowning. "But, I thought you already patrolled today."

"Yeah, I did but…you know how it goes." He shrugged.

I sighed. "Alright," I turned back towards the Cullens. "It was nice seeing y'all again!" I smiled warmly at each member of the family. All returned my smile with sincere smiles of their own, except for Rosalie who just gave me a curt nod. We hadn't really talked, but that was okay with me. According to Bella she was very vain and I wasn't sure we'd get along very much.

Jacob picked me up and began his quick walk back to the road where my car was parked. "Sorry that I have to patrol." He said, avoiding my eyes.

"It's alright," I sighed. "I'm just disappointed because we haven't spent that much time together the past several days." I pursed my lips together for a moment. "I miss you."

Jacob still wouldn't meet my eyes, which worried me. "Sorry. I miss you too." He seemed distant, which made my overactive imagination run wild. I started imagining all sorts of bad things that could be happening, including maybe that he was bored of me. We had really only just sat around at my house. We didn't do anything exciting or fun. We hadn't even been on a real date. Maybe he was tired of me. The fact that we hadn't really talked the past few days didn't help.

"I-is everything okay?" I asked hesitantly. We had reached the car and were driving back towards my house.

"Yeah!" Jacob said quickly as he gave me a smile. "Hey, Emily wants you to go over to her house tonight."

"Oh, okay." I said. I liked spending time with Emily, and I had during the past several days that Jacob had been patrolling. However, the letdown from learning that Jacob wouldn't be with me made it hard to get excited. "I guess I better take a shower."

"Yeah. Try to dress up a little bit, I think she's having people over." Jacob said, his eyes focused on the road

I frowned at his blunt tone. "Okay," I said simply. "What time should I go over there?"

"Seven," he said. I glanced at the clock. That gave me forty-five minutes.

I didn't answer, and the rest of the ride was silent. We pulled up to my house and Jacob walked me to my door. He kept looking around nervously, like he was ready to run off. "Hey," I said and put my hand on his cheek. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I've already said everything was okay, didn't I?" he leaned down and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. I almost pouted when his lips left mine so quickly. "I'm going to be late. I love you."

"I love you, too." I said, and then he was gone, running towards the woods.

I sighed as I entered my house. I flopped down on the couch. I felt like crying. I couldn't figure out why Jacob was acting so distant. Something was going on, and I wanted to find out what it was. I mean, maybe he was starting to take me for granted. So what if I was constantly thinking about him and I felt like I couldn't go on when he was gone? That didn't give him any reason to let it go to his head and think that he could just act like he didn't care. I kept thinking about it as I got ready. I had pretty much finished getting ready when I decided to call Emily and make sure the outfit I had chose was acceptable for her dinner.

"Hello?" I heard voices of the members of the pack in the back.

"Hey, Emily! It's Denae." I said trying to keep my tone upbeat, even thought I wasn't really feeling it.

"Hi, Denae! What's up?" The voices in the background quieted down and Emily seemed distracted.

"Are you busy?" I asked, worried that I was interrupting.

"No, Denae," she seemed to emphasize my name. "Not at all. What can I do for you?"

"I was just wondering what I should wear to your get together?"

"My get together?" She asked and seemed clueless. A lot of commotion started in the background. I swore that I heard someone shout Jacob's name. Then, there was a bunch of muffled talking like she had her hand over the receiver of the phone. I frowned. It sounded like Jacob was over there, but he said that he was patrolling. He had lied to get out of spending time with me.

"Uh, Em?" I asked. "Are you there?"

"Yes!" Emily said breathlessly. "My get together! Just wear uh, something nice." She said and her tone sounded very unsure.

My frown deepened. "Who is going to be there?"

"Who is going to be at the get together?" she rephrased my question, and more voices talked in the background. I distinctly heard someone shout '_the President_' in the background and Emily said "Um, the President!" distractedly. She sounded frantic.

"The President is going to be at your house?" I asked with a very sarcastic tone.

"No! Yes! Uh, yeah, the president of the cooking club I'm in!" she said quickly. "Yeah! So it's casual but not too casual. Like what you'd wear out to dinner on a date." Several groans sounded in the background. "No, not a date! Just what you'd wear to a dinner."

"A dinner with the president of your cooking club…" I said while more sarcasm dripped from my voice.

"Yes!" Emily's voice seemed to squeak.

I sat down on the couch with a huff. "Hey, Em, I have one more question,"

"Sure," she said, sounding nervous and still distracted. It sounded like pure chaos in the background.

"Can I talk to Jacob?"

"Yeah just a sec. Hey, Jake!" More loud shouting happened in the background. "Oh, crap! Uh, he's not here. He's at home!" The shouting started up again. "I mean patrolling! Oh, shoot."

"It's fine, Em. That's all I needed to hear. If it's okay, I think I'm going to skip the dinner and just stay home tonight. Please apologize to the President." I sighed.

"No, no Denae! Just…wait…"

"It's alright, Emily." I said as my eyes filled with tears. "I'm just going to go now. Bye."

Emily sighed. "Bye, Denae." I hung up the phone and blinked several times, willing myself not to cry. I looked down at what I was wearing. I had picked out a dress from the clothes Alice gave me. It was made of a silky black material. It fell to just above my knees so I paired it with the black leather boots that went almost to my knees and a grey sweater. I had taken time to do my makeup, carefully lining my blue eyes and I had left my long black hair down. I just didn't understand why Jacob would lie about a get together at Emily's. Now, I was all dressed up and with nowhere to go.

I started to feel very self conscious about the whole thing. I began to think that maybe always spilling my guts and telling Jacob how much I loved him was wrong. Maybe it was too soon for all of it. I knew the imprint made our relationship different, but maybe I had made it too serious. I didn't expect Jacob to spend all of his free time with me, he just did. I should have let him know that he could do what he wanted and he didn't have to babysit me all the time. This was probably all my fault.

A knock came at my door a few minutes later and I got up and opened it. My face dropped when I saw it was Jacob. "Jacob," I sighed, getting ready to apologize.

"Wait! It's not like you think!" Jacob said quickly. He had his arms behind his back and a guilty look on his face.

"Look, I need to say this," I looked down at my feet. "I-I'm not that type of girl, you know. I wouldn't get mad if you wanted to spend time with your friends instead of me. I understand that. I don't expect you to be here every spare moment to keep me company. I wouldn't have cared at all." I continued to stare at my boots. "I-I'm just hurt that you lied. And I feel bad that you think you have to lie." The last part came out as a whisper. I struggled to keep my tears at bay. I watched as Jacob's shoes moved into my vision. My breath caught in my throat as Jacob's hand touched my cheek softly.

"Denae, look at me," he said softly.

I shook my head, afraid that if I looked up at him I'd start crying.

"Please?" he asked and his gentle tone was pleading. I swallowed hard and looked up at Jacob slowly. He smiled when my eyes reached his. "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. I didn't mean to. I did lie, but I had a reason."

I felt my chin rise as I started to get mad. He really thought there was some excuse to lie to me? I started to remember how distant he was acting. "Oh really?"

He nodded. "Really," he brought his other hand out from behind his back. It was holding a single red rose. He held it out to me. I looked up into his face in confusion. "Denae, will you go on a date with me?"


	25. Chapter 24: Life After You

A/N: A bit of a wait for this chapter, I know. Sorry! Hopefully you like it...let me know what you all think :) All publicly recognized characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 24**

**_Life After You- Daughtry_**

_All that I'm after is a life full of laughter  
As long as I'm laughing with you  
I'm thinkin' that all that still matters is love ever after  
After the life we've been through  
__'Cause I know there's no life after you_**__**

I stood, staring at Jacob with what was probably a completely flabbergasted look. My mouth was wide open and my eyes were big as I gaped at the rose in his hand. I then took a moment to check my boyfriend out. He had on a nice pair of khaki pants on with a black button up shirt and shiny black shoes. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, showing just a little of his tanned, muscular chest that I loved so much. His hair even seemed to be styled. He was staring right back at me with a tentative look on his face. He was probably trying to make sure I wasn't mad.

And, believe me; I was not at all mad. I was completely astounded. Jacob was easily the most gorgeous guy alive when he was wearing his cut off sweatpants and had bed-head. However, Jacob all dressed up holding a rose made my heart start to beat wildly, my breath catch in my throat and my legs feel like jelly. He looked like a real-life prince charming. I swear I almost swooned.

I finally found my voice. "A-a date?" my voice was a breathy and my cheeks were burning bright red.

Jacob smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. I uh, realized that I've never asked you out on a real date. And I felt like the worst boyfriend ever." He looked embarrassed. "I know our situation is, uh, unique; but that doesn't give me any excuses not to treat it like a normal relationship and take you out to dinner. So, uh, what do you say?"

I gave him a huge smile. He was standing on the middle step of my porch so I was able to wrap my arms around his neck. "Yes! Of course I'll go on a date with you!" I said. I was giddy with excitement.

Jacob's face brightened. "Really? I thought you may say no."

I laughed and Jacob's smile widened. "How on earth could I ever say no to you when you are dressed like this?" I smoothed my hands over his chest. "And you have a rose!"I took it gently from his hand and inhaled its beautiful scent.

"Well, I know you were kind of upset because I was being so short with you, and because Emily almost blew the whole surprise."He shrugged. "I just was so excited I knew if I talked more then I'd end up saying something about it."

I smiled. "That must have been hard for you,"

He nodded enthusiastically. "You have _no idea_. Plus, I knew that if I told you we were just hanging out here tonight, you probably wouldn't get all dressed up, which really doesn't bother me at all." He leaned in closer to me and gave me a playful smile. "I think you look breathtaking in my old t-shirt that is ten times too big for you." His hands gripped my hips lightly as I continued to smell the beautiful flower in my hand and I looked up at him through my eyelashes. "But, Emily said you'd probably want to be dressed up if we were going on a date. I'm glad she told me because you are stunning." His hands ran up and down my side and I shivered a little at his touch.

"Anyways, I knew I needed to come up with some reason for you to get all dolled up, but still keep it a surprise. The lie came to me right when I said it in the car. Then, I was so nervous that when I got to Em's I forgot to fill her in. She got caught off guard when you called, and then the guys kept confusing her. As soon as I realized you were upset, I left to come here to come clean." He smiled guiltily. "The plan was for me to be standing outside your car when you came outside to leave for Em's but, you were still surprised right?"

I couldn't help but laugh. So, I did. And I laughed a lot. I wrapped my arms around Jacob's torso as I laughed and I felt his arms come around me. "Yes! This is perfect." I pulled back and stared up into his smiling brown eyes. "You are perfect."

His grin turned into a smug look that said I know. "Let's go. Your chariot awaits." He moved his arm in a sweeping motion to the side revealing his little car. I smiled and took his offered arm as we walked down the stairs.

"Where are we going?" I asked after we had both gotten situated in the car.

Jacob shrugged. "It's a surprise."

"Again with the surprises!"

"Oh, stop. I think deep down you like them." Jacob rolled his eyes at my complaining as he back the car down the drive way.

"No, not really."

We chatted back and forth as we drove. I noticed that we were leaving Forks. "Yes," Jacob said, noticing my silent surprise. "We're leaving Forks. There's nothing to do on a date in Forks."

The time I had spent around Bella must have had an impact on me because I bit my lip nervously. "We're not going to be in Forks?" I asked, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. There was a coven of vampires and a pack of werewolves protecting me in Forks. Being outside of it made me very uncomfortable.

"Don't worry," Jacob's tone was soothing. He knew exactly why I was worried. "We're going to Port Angeles. It's a long way from Seattle. Jared and Paul went up there and checked it out a few hours ago and there wasn't a single trace of vampire. Not even an old trail."

I relaxed a little in my seat at Jacob's words, but I was still slightly nervous. My eyes anxiously scanned the passing trees in the dark, just waiting to see two blood red eyes peering back at me as we whipped past the forest.

"Plus, it there was one, I'd smell it from a mile away." This was true; I knew Jacob would be able to instantly pick up on any potential threat. "Let's just have a normal night out, okay? And forget about all this stress going on."

I smiled over at him. "That sounds really nice."

When we got to Port Angeles I looked around excitedly. It was the biggest city I had been in for a while, and even though it was nothing like Denton, it made me miss my home. Jacob pulled up to a cute, little restaurant. "La Bella Italia?" I said the name out loud. My face was a question mark as I looked over at Jacob.

"Bella suggested it," Jacob shrugged. "She said the mushroom ravioli is good."

I shrugged and started to get out of the car. Jacob jumped out and rushed around the side to open my door for me. I smiled and grabbed his hand as we entered the restaurant.

"Hi, I have a reservation," Jacob said to the hostess. She looked Jacob up and down appreciatively. I frowned and stood closer to him. I was beginning to feel a little possessive.

"What's your name?" she asked and actually batter her eyelashes at my boyfriend. I openly rolled my eyes.

"Jacob Black," Jacob said with a friendly smile. The hostess graciously returned the smile as she scanned the book.

"Alright, Mr. Black. Right this way." She grabbed some menus and then turned and pranced into the dining room. After we were seated she leaned over the table, way too close to Jacob, and gave him a flirty smile. "Your server will be right with you. My name is Hollie if you need anything else." Then, she pranced away.

Jacob grabbed a menu and then looked at me. "What?" He was clearly clueless about the sour look on my face.

"The hostess!" I hissed. "She was…_ogling_ you!"

Jacob's eyebrows shot up as he tried to contain a laugh. "Ogling?"

"Yes, ogling!"

Jacob leaned forward. The tables each had candles on them, so his angle cast deep shadows on his face, causing the well defined lines to appear even sharper. "Are you jealous, Miss Walters?"

I narrowed my eyes. "No,"

Jacob's face turned up into a playful smile. "I believe you are."

I frowned. "So what if I am? She was ogling my boyfriend."

Jacob just laughed and then opened his menu. "I think I like jealous Denae." he commented off-handedly. "She's entertaining."

I just huffed and began looking over my menu. After scanning the entire thing twice I finally decided right before our waiter approached our table. We placed our orders, then after our waiter left Jacob leaned in again and grabbed my hand.

"I could get used to this normal thing." He said with a sigh.

"Me too," I agreed. I paused for a moment. "But don't you think we'd get bored?"

Jacob smiled, his eyes looked a little sad. "I would more than happy to have my only worry be about making sure you weren't bored."

"Maybe one day," I murmured.

"What do you want to do?" Jacob asked suddenly, catching me off guard.

"What do you mean?" I asked, completely unsure as to what he was talking about.

"I mean…in the future. Like ten years from now. What do you want to do?"

I blinked in surprise at the question. I had given this some thought, but lately it had been at the back of my mind. I had been more concerned with staying alive for tomorrow than worrying about my goals ten years down the line.

"I-I'm not sure," I said with a little hesitation. "I think I'd like to maybe help women and children who have been abused." I looked down at our joined hands as I spoke. I was unable to meet Jacob's intense gaze. "They have homes, you know, like safe-houses for them. I'd like to be able to do that. To stand up for people who are too afraid to stand up for themselves." I finally forced myself to meet Jacob's eyes.

There was so much emotion in them that I had to stifle a gasp.

"That's…that's amazing." Jacob said. His eyes were searching mine. "I can't believe I haven't asked you that question before." His thumbs were softly running over my knuckles.

I shrugged. "I just feel like I was brought through that situation for a reason and I should try to make some good come out of it."

"Do you remember when I told you that you're the strongest person I knew?" he asked softly.

I nodded.

"You still are. You are remarkable." He said.

I blushed and smiled under Jacob's loving gaze. "What about you? What do you want to do?"

"All that I want is a life full of laugher with you," he smiled. "As long as I've got that I'm content."

My eyes widened. As great as that sounded, and as sweet as Jacob's words were, a life-time was quite a commitment. I knew I'd spend the rest of my life with Jacob. I had to. The soul-mate, imprinting thing made it impossible for it to be otherwise. That didn't mean it didn't scare me.

Jacob understood my look. "All I'm saying is that you're my number one priority. Everything else can come later."

"But surely you want to do something," I said uneasily.

It was Jacob's turn to bite his lip. "I'd like to open up my own garage. I love working on cars, so I'd like to own a shop and be able to do that all the time. It's not as good as what you want to do…"

"No," I interrupted him. "I think that's great. You know so much about cars that it's scary sometimes. Plus, you're a good, honest person. Trust me- the world needs more good, honest mechanics. People go to you when they're in trouble because they depend on their cars and they'll be able to trust you to not rip them off." I smiled.

"You always know what to say, don't you?"

"It's the truth." I insisted as the waiter came over with our salads. He set the tiny plates down in front of Jacob and I and I saw Jacob make a face. I held in my laughter until after the waiter walked away. "They have no idea how much it takes to feed you."

"I hope the main course is bigger than this," Jacob said, still staring at the salad. I just laughed and began to eat.

The rest of the meal was spent talking and joking and genuinely finding out more about each other; just like a normal date. When we paid and left the restaurant the hostess was sure to call after us in a final, desperate attempt at Jacob's attention. "Have a nice evening, Mr. Black. Please come back and see us soon."

I turned around and plastered a huge, fake smile on my face. "Oh, I'm sure _we _will be back the next time we're on a _date_. My _boyfriend_ here just loves to spoil me." I used the extra three inches my heels gave me to my advantage and planted a kiss on his cheek.

Jacob erupted in to laughter as we left the restaurant. I was scowling but when I looked up and saw his laughing face I couldn't help but smile a little, too. "What, Mr. Black? She was annoying me." I said.

Jacob just shook his head and led me to the car. After he helped me in and then ran around to his side he smiled over at me. "Okay, I think you're going to like our next stop."

"You mean there's more?" I asked happily.

Jacob nodded. "Yep," He pulled out a piece of paper with directions on it and started driving down the streets of Port Angeles. After a few minutes he pulled up to what looked like a theater. "Here we are."

I gave him a questioning look. "Where is here?" Jacob handed the keys over to the valet as we walked into the fancy looking building. We walked up to the box office as Jacob pulled two tickets out of his pocket.

"We have tickets for the show." He grinned.

"Thank you sir," the man behind the glass said. "Here are your programs." He slid two pieces of paper under the glass. I looked down at them and a huge grin lit my face up.

"We're seeing a play?" I asked happily. "This is so cool!"

Jacob gave me an enthusiastic grin as he nodded happily. "Yep. I thought you'd like to see one. I know you said your mom and brother were into theater, so I assumed you would be too." He handed me a program. "I, uh, don't know anything about the play or anything. I just know that it was written and directed by one of the college students from the University of Washington."

My eyes filled up with tears as I thought about the last live production I had seen. It was when Chase played the lead role in an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. "This is perfect, Jacob." I said as we took our seats in the theater.

The play was a comedy and had both Jacob and I laughing through the majority of the program afterwards, as we were walking out Jacob stopped and pulled me close to him.

"Once all of our…stress…is taken care of, I want to be able to do things like this all the time."

I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Good, because I want to do things like this all the time." I smiled.

The car ride home was quiet and I dozed off for a few minutes. I woke up just outside of Forks. We pulled up to my house and suddenly I got the strangest feeling that we were being watched.

"J-jacob," I said quietly. "Do you feel that?"

"Something feels wrong," Jacob said in a low voice. "I think someone's here."

"Vampire?"

"I don't think so. I can't catch a scent or hear or see anything. I just have a weird feeling." His eyes scanned the woods around my house. "Stay in the car. Lock the doors. I'll be right back."

"No, I want to go with you!" I said hurriedly. There was no way I was sitting in the dark car by myself.

"Just stay here," Jacob said as he took off his seatbelt and opened the door. "It's safer and I can move faster that way. But, whatever you do…do not get out of the car."

"Okay, just…hurry," I said, once again nervously chewing on my lip. Jacob kissed my cheek quickly before walking briskly up my front porch and into my house. The bad feeling I had increased now that I was alone. I could feel it in the pit of my stomach and the hair on the back of my neck stood up.

"You're okay," I said to myself out loud in the car. "Nothing's out there. Jacob would have known as soon as we pulled up. You're just freaking out because we left Forks." It was true. We had left my comfort zone and Jacob's too, and so we were probably just freaking ourselves out.

I couldn't help but let out an ear-shattering scream when a dark figure banged on my window.


	26. Chapter 25: This Kiss

A/N: Hey guys! Here is another chapter for you... We only have a few more chapters left of The Cure! Then, I'm considering doing a sequel. I have a few ideas for it, as well as for some totally different stories. Let me know what you think of this chapter, and about continuing this story!:) No copyright infringement intended. All publicly recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 25**

**_This Kiss- Faith Hill_**

_You can kiss me in the moonlight  
On the rooftop under the sky  
You can kiss me with the windows open  
While the rain comes pouring inside  
Kiss me in sweet slow motion  
Let's let every thing slide  
You got me floating, you got me flying_

__

It's the way you love me  
It's a feeling like this  
It's centrifugal motion  
It's perpetual bliss

_It's that pivotal moment  
It's subliminal  
This kiss, this kiss (It's Criminal)  
__This kiss, this kiss _

"Denae, calm down! It's okay, it's just me!" Jacob's voice cut off my scream as the door opened. "I thought I told you to lock the door."

"Oh my God." I said, trying to catch my breath. "I thought you were…well… I don't know what I thought you were, but you scared me!" I placed a hand over my racing heart.

"It's okay, it's just me."

I grabbed my purse and jumped out of the car, launching myself into Jacob's arms. I hugged him tight to me. "I was so scared!" I couldn't shake the panicked feelings as I clutched to Jacob's large frame.

"It's alright," Jacob's hand softly stroked my hair. "I couldn't get a scent or anything at all. Something just felt…off." He frowned. "I'm going to get you inside and then phase to see if I can find anything around your house."

"You mean I'm going to be alone?" I asked in a shaky voice. I had really gotten myself worked up.

Jacob sighed. "I'll be in the woods right outside your house for most of the night. Then I have to patrol the outer border with Jared later. But, I promise if I still have this bad feeling then I'll stay, okay?"

I nodded hesitantly and looked around the dark, mysterious woods anxiously. "Okay,"

"I'm not going to let anything hurt you, Denae. You know that right? I will do whatever it takes to protect you." Jacob said solemnly.

I nodded and forced a smile. "Of course I do," We headed inside my house. When we got inside the door I turned to Jacob. "Thank you for the most amazing date ever." I smiled shyly.

Jacob beamed back at me, erasing the worry from his face. "You're welcome," He leaned down to kiss me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him close with all of my strength, which was really futile, but Jacob responded and deepened the kiss. I let my hands roam his shoulders and chest as I felt his tongue lightly trace my bottom lip. I parted my lips with a small gasp and moaned a little into his mouth when his tongue found mine.

My heart was beating wildly once again and my legs felt shaky, but this was an entirely different feeling than the panic I felt earlier.

Jacob broke the kiss. "Okay," he said, breathing hard. "We have to stop."

I most definitely did not want to stop. Kissing Jacob was something that I would gladly do every day, all day. It was utterly sublime. The way his hands felt on me beatified me and was truly the closet thing to pure heaven. I was always amazed at how a kiss from Jacob could erase worries from my mind.

I blinked a couple times to clear my head and then pouted. "Do we have to?" My face was flushed and I was clinging to Jacob.

Jacob swallowed hard. "Yes, yes we do." His face told me that he really hated saying that. He placed once last chaste kiss on my lips and then on my forehead. "Be careful,"

"Don't worry about me," I said with a faint smile, recognizing our familiar exchange.

"You know I will," he grinned. "I love you." He pulled away from me and my body immediately missed his presence. When I was in his arms I felt safe and secure. Without out his warm, strong body next to me I felt vulnerable. I stopped myself from glancing around my house nervously. I didn't want to worry him.

"I love you, too." I watched as he walked out the door. It seemed like after he left, a wave of exhaustion hit me. I glanced at the clock and my eyes widened when I saw it was 2 am. No wonder I was exhausted, especially after that adrenaline rush in the car.

I got ready for bed quickly as I yawned multiple times. I was still a little frightened, but I pushed it away. However, the panic and fear from earlier must have really messed with my dreams.

I dreamed I was in a theater sitting on the front row, staring at dark stage. I looked to my left, and Jacob was sitting next to me. He grinned and winked at me. I felt a sense of security at his presence next to me. Suddenly, a spotlight came on and Chase was standing there on the stage, with a sad look on his face. I gasped and tried to stand to go over to him. My heart was singing with joy. Chase was alive! But when I stood, Jacob held my arm. He wouldn't let me go.

"Jacob!" I wailed. "It's Chase. It's my brother! I have to go see him!" I pulled against his grip on me but he wouldn't let go. He was staring blankly at where Chase was standing on the stage. I looked back at Chase and saw that he was on his knees. His face was buried in his hands and it looked like he was sobbing.

"Chase!" I called out. "Chase, what's wrong?" My elation turned to a frantic panic. I needed to save my brother.

Chase looked at me and shook his head. His face was twisted into an agonized, pained look. Suddenly, his form started to blur. The darkness of the theater began to close in on him as his shoulders slumped in defeat. I couldn't understand what was happening, why he wouldn't come over to me.

"No! Jacob, let me go! Let me go to my brother!" I cried as tears streamed down my face. "No, Chase! Don't go!" Desperation hit as his face seemed to move farther away from me. He had been so close, only a few feet away on the stage, that I could have touched him. But now, he was leaving.

"I love you, Dee." His sad voice rang out in the theater.

"No, Chase!" I woke up, sitting straight up in my bed, crying and gasping. I looked around, wildly. I was absolutely freezing; all my thrashing around had knocked my pile of blankets off of me.

I tried to calm myself down and told myself that it was just a dream, probably created by my subconscious from my earlier panic and memories of watching Chase on stage. I felt a pang of sadness as I pictured the way Chase's sad face looked in my dream. I had felt so hopeful when I saw him. It was like he was still alive the way he looked at me and the way his voice seemed so real. I knew the stress of facing Victoria was getting to me. I was so jumpy.

I was just forcing myself to lie back down and go to sleep when I heard my front door open.

I sat straight up as my heart began to pound again. I didn't hear any footsteps, but my bedroom door swung open slowly.

"Who's there?" I called out in a voice that was a few octaves higher than normal. I clutched the blanket tighter to me.

"Just me," Jacob's gentle voice instantly calmed me down.

"Oh," I sighed and laid back. I realized my head was pounding with a terrible headache and I was once again, exhausted. I had been on edge ever since we had gotten home. I looked at the clock next to my bed and saw it was four am. "What are you doing?" The irritation I had felt towards dream-Jacob for not letting me go to my brother was still lingering and I forced myself to put it out of my head. The dream was already getting fuzzy.

"I had that bad feeling again," Jacob said softly. He walked over to the bed and smoothed some of my hair out of my face. "Are you okay? Were you scared or something? Your heart was racing when I came in and I can tell you've been crying." His fingers traced the tear tracks on my face. His touch completely erased any bad feelings the dream had left and I closed my eyes as his thumb smoothed away my tears.

"Bad dream," I said quietly. Exhaustion tinged my voice as I stifled a yawn.

Jacob sighed. "Want to talk about it?"

I shook my head no. "Not really. I just want to sleep." My voice was very small. Jacob's warm fingers were now softly stroking my cheek and it was about to put me to sleep.

"I'll stay," Jacob said with finality.

"Thought you had to patrol?" I muttered as I watched Jacob pull off his t-shirt and crawl into bed with me.

"Not for a few more hours." Jacob said. "And Paul said he'd cover for me for a bit if I was late."

"That was nice," I said as my eyes closed.

Jacob pulled me close to him and I sighed as I rested my head on his chest. "Yeah, especially considering that Paul doesn't do that for anyone. It's only because you guys are best buds." Sarcasm was dripping from his voice.

I gathered enough energy to lift my head from his chest shoot him a withering look. "I'm too tired to even begin discussing your jealously right now."

Jacob snorted "I'm not jealous! Especially not of Paul."

"Too tired," I said again with a yawn. "Thanks for coming back and staying. I was really cold."

I felt Jacob chuckle. "Oh, I see. You didn't miss me, just my heat."

"Yep, you're my personal heater." I said, snuggling into his warmth and allowing it to erase all the tension in my body. "I love you, Jacob."

"I love you too, Denae."

When I woke up the next morning Jacob was gone. I sighed and got up reluctantly. I started to get ready for work when a thought stopped me. I wanted to do something for Jacob that he would like to thank him for what he did for me. But, I had no idea what I should do for him. I decided I'd call one person who would know.

"Hello?" The soft voice on the other end said.

"Bella!" I said happily. I was always glad to hear her voice. Her tendency to get hurt made me worry about her. "How are you?"

"Hi, Denae. I'm fine. How are you?"

"I'm great!" I said with a smile. "The restaurant you suggested to Jacob was delicious!"

"Oh, good." She paused. "Edward took me there one time." I sensed there was more to the story, but I decided not to press for details.

"Well, it was great, even if the hostess kept eyeing Jacob."

"I know how that goes," her voice sounded far off, as if she was stuck in a memory.

"I hope you're not busy, I have a question for you."

"What's that?"

"Um, well I wanted to do something for Jacob, since he took me out on that nice date. But I can't think of anything. So, what does he like?" I was embarrassed. I had to call another girl, one who he used to be madly in love with, to ask what my own boyfriend liked.

Bella laughed. "I'm sure you know what he likes."

"Well, I do. But I don't know how I can turn any of that into a surprise for him." I cradled the phone on my shoulder as I walked around the house straightening random items.

"Well, why don't you tell me what he likes and I'll see if I can help."

I frowned. I didn't see how that would work, but it was better than the dead end I had. "Okay, well, he likes working on cars, and motorcycles. He likes his friends. He likes food." Bella's laughter interrupted me. I smiled and prattled on about all the little things that Jacob liked. His favorite color, music, and all the small things I had picked up about him. I was actually surprised at how much I knew about him.

"Well, it seems like you know what he likes. But, as his best friend I can tell you that you are definitely missing one thing. And it happens to be his most favorite thing." Bella's tone held a smile.

"What?"

"You, Denae. He's completely, head over heels in love with you. Anything you do he's going to like because he gets to spend time with you."

I blinked a few times as I let Bella's words sink in. "Oh," was my only response.

Bella laughed again. "Okay, here's an idea. Combine two of his favorite things. Cook him dinner. That way he's spending time with you and eating."

It was my turn to laugh. "Oh, wow, Bella. I think for most people that would be a wonderful idea. However, you seem to have forgotten the fact that I can't cook."

I could practically hear Bella's eye roll. "It's not that hard."

"Sure, sure." I said and smiled to myself at the use of Jacob's catch phrase.

"Wait! I have a plan!"

As I listened to Bella's plan I started to gain a little bit of hope. It would work, but Jacob was going to take some major convincing.

Bella offered to teach me how to cook on the days that the pack and the Cullens met to strategize. We had about three weeks before the attack, which gave us plenty of time to practice. We decided that I would have the dinner three days before Alice saw Victoria coming. We decided the best place to practice cooking would be the Cullens so Jacob didn't notice any extra food at my house and Charlie didn't spill the beans. According to Bella, Charlie and Billy gossiped like old ladies, and I knew if Billy knew there was a good chance another member of the pack would find out and then Jacob would see it in their thoughts.

After work I decided to have to talk with Jacob. I needed to convince him that staying at the Cullens would be the safest place for me.

I prepared myself for a huge fight. So, I decided to butter him up before I asked him.

"You look tense," I said nonchalantly. Jacob looked up from where he was sprawled out on my couch. I wasn't lying. He looked exhausted from patrolling and stress.

He shrugged. "I'm okay,"

I smiled and batted my eyelashes flirtatiously. I walked over to his spot on the couch, adding an extra sway to my hips. "Are you sure?" I sat next to him and leaned into him, brushing my chest lightly against his arm as I reached and rubbed the back of his next gently. "I could give you a massage. After a long day of patrolling I'm sure you could use one." I tried to make my tone seductive, but considering that I've never seduced anyone, I had no idea if it was working.

Jacob raised an eyebrow. "A massage?"

I nodded, feigning innocence. "You are just so tense. I'm sure a massage would help these big ol' muscles of yours relax." I gave him a coy smile.

Jacob fell right into my trap. I swear, a little seduction could get you a long way with this guy. "I guess I am a little sore. I did run a long patrol last night."

My smile widened. "Oh, I bet you did. Lie down on your stomach and let me rub your back. I want to thank you for being so brave and protecting me."

Jacob was grinning from ear to ear, clearly feeling pleased with himself as he flipped over onto his stomach. I began to knead and work at the muscles on his shoulders. Two things became very obvious to me. The first was that Jacob was strong. Really strong. As I inspected his muscles close up I was amazed at how big they were. The second thing was that he was actually very tense. His shoulders and neck had several tense knots. I gently tried to work out the kinks as I gathered the courage to bring up the idea. Jacob made a noise of contentment as I massaged his back.

I'll admit I momentarily forgot about my ulterior motives as my skin touched his. Jacob tended to have that affect on me. I took a deep breath, and inhaled the wonderful smell that was Jacob Black. An elixir of the earth and beach met my nose in a scent that was solely Jacob and very manly. I had to shake my head clear and focus on my task.

"So, where will I go when the pack and the Cullens meet up again?" I asked finally.

"Hmmm?" Jacob sounded relaxed and peaceful, and I hated to bring up the stressful topic when he was supposed to be relaxing. But then again, maybe bringing it up when he was relaxed wasn't such a bad idea.

"When you all meet to strategize again, where will I go?"

"I haven't really thought about it," Jacob admitted.

"Well, um. The Cullens have offered to keep an eye on me over at their place." I said in a calm even tone. I zoned in on his back, waiting for his muscles to tense under my hands. "Bella will be there. That way the whole pack can go, and I'll still have someone watching me."

Jacob's muscles tensed momentarily, but then relaxed again. He was silent for a several moments. I thought maybe he had fallen asleep and hadn't heard a word I said.

"It's not the first place I'd choose, but that does make sense." Jacob said. "It's alright, I suppose." He paused. "Oh wow, that feels good."

I paused for a moment, completely shocked that he had just so easily agreed to the idea. I quickly set to work massaging his lower back. I was still in disbelief. "Really?"

"Yeah, that's where I'm really sore."

"Oh, uh, I meant really about going to the Cullens?"

Jacob sighed and rolled onto his back. He looked at where I was sitting next to him on the couch with a tired smile. "I know Bella will be there, and I really like that you guys are friends." He rubbed my knee. "I hate the bloodsuckers, sure. But, you're right. I don't want to leave you unprotected at all. Last night was scary enough when I was so far away and I could feel that you were afraid and in pain. If I feel that you're afraid, I'd rather you have adequate protection until I could get to you. So yes, I'm willing to put aside my pride if it means you will be safe."

I leaned down and gave him a huge kiss, completely ecstatic that he had been so cooperative.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I said happily.

Jacob grinned. "You're welcome,"

"Roll back over and let me finish your back rub." I insisted. When he complied, I hesitated a moment before straddling his back. I didn't worry about putting all my weight on him, because I knew it wouldn't bother him. I leaned down and kissed his cheek. "You're the best."

Jacob sighed as I picked up where I left off. "I know," he said and there was a hint of smugness in his voice. "But, Denae."

"Yes?"

"Next time, just ask me. You don't have to soften me up with a massage first." I felt him chuckle underneath me.

For the second time that night, I was completely taken back by Jacob. I finally regained my composure and with a smile I got off of his back. "Oh, well in that case, I bet I have some dishes I could be doing."

"Oh no you don't." Jacob growled playfully. He rolled onto his back again and his long arms reached out and grabbed me by my waist. I screamed and then started laughing as he pulled me down on top of him. He tickled my sides as I laughed. "I could always change my mind." He warned playfully.

"Okay, okay! I'll finish the massage! Just stop tickling me!" I shrieked.

Jacob laughed and let go of me. He turned back around onto his stomach. "I can be very convincing too, Miss Walters."

"I'll remember that, Mr. Black."


	27. Chapter 26: Soulmate

A/N: Okay, the next few chapters will be getting intense, as well as wrap up The Cure. I know how much you all LOVE cliffhangers..so I'm sure you'll enjoy this one! Let me know what you think. Thanks to the reviewers, ya'll are top-notch! No copyright infringement intended, all publicly recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 26**

**_Soulmate- Josh Turner_**

_Until the end of time  
You're my soulmate  
I'll love you till I get to Heaven's gate  
And if I go first sweetheart  
I'll wait  
'Cause I know I'll never find another  
__Soulmate _**_  
_**

"I did it!" I said triumphantly. I closed my eyes and inhaled the delicious scent of the chocolate pie in front of me. I opened my eyes and looked over in to Bella's smiling face. "It smells so good!"

"Speak for yourself." Rosalie mumbled from the table behind us.

"It looks wonderful, dear." Esme said, shooting Rosalie a disapproving glance before giving me a proud smile. "I bet Jacob will be thrilled."

"Thank you, Esme." I said. "Let's see how it tastes, Bella!" We took our plates and sat down at the table. Bella and I both took a forkful of chocolate pie. "Okay, we'll try it together. One, two, three." We both took a bite of pie. I closed my eyes. It tasted delectable.

"Mmmm," Bella said. "It's delicious!"

"It is!" I agreed happily.

"Revolting," Rosalie muttered and dramatically plugged her nose. This caused Bella and I to burst into laughter as we dug into our pie.

I was sitting at the huge, but pointless, dining room table in the Cullen's house with Esme, Rosalie, and Bella. It was the last of mine and Bella's cooking lessons and I had successfully made roasted chicken breast, potatoes, seasoned veggies, and a chocolate pie. I finally had confidence that I could cook for Jacob without a repeat of the cookie incident.

I had to admit, Bella was a great teacher. She had a lot of patience when I had overcooked the potatoes and forgot to stir the veggies. She was able to easily fix my mistakes while teaching me how not to make them again. I was actually looking forward to cooking a meal for Jacob.

Only four days remained until Alice saw the newborn battle taking place. The Cullens and the pack had been working together, and I was pleased to see each time they came back there was a little less tension between them.

The tension between Rosalie and I had also began to decrease over the weeks. The first few times I was at the Cullen house she just ignored me completely unless she was rolling her eyes or huffing at Emmett when he joked around with me. One day, Bella was in another room talking with Edward and Rosalie and I were in the living room alone together. I was intimidated by her and tried not to let it show, but the anxious bouncing of my leg gave it away.

"Calm down," Rosalie said from her spot in front of the glass wall that looked out to the forest. "I don't bite. Well…" she laughed bitterly at her own joke. He eyes never left the window.

I frowned and then my stubbornness got the best of me. "Why don't you like me Rosalie?"

Her form stiffened, but she didn't turn around. "Excuse me?"

"I said, why don't you like me, Rosalie?" I knew she heard me. She could probably hear the frantic beating of my heart, too. "The rest of your family is okay with me. Why do you hate me?"

Rosalie finally turned from her view of the dark trees. I expected one of her typical judgmental gazes to fall on me. But instead she looked sad. "I don't hate you or dislike you. You just...bring back memories for me. So I act like that as a defense. Being mean is easier than dealing with the ghosts that haunt my past."

"What?" I was completely dumbstruck.

She sighed and sat down across from me. "I need to tell you about myself, Denae." Her perfect, stunning face was filled with sadness and pain.

I listened attentively as Rosalie Hale told me her story. She told me about her life as a human. She had everything she could ever want. She was gorgeous, came from a decent home, and had a lot going for her. Then, she told me about Royce, her fiancé who committed unforgivable acts against her in a drunken stupor. I listened, horrified, as she explained what happened. She told me how Carlisle had found her on the brink of death and changed her.

"I, I know it's different, what you went through," Rosalie said without meeting my gaze. "But, the fact that you have been mistreated by a man, someone who claimed to care about you, just reminds me so much of what happened to me." Her fists clenched tightly in her lap.

I hesitated several moments before I spoke. "I-I understand," I said finally. "There are so many things that remind me of…those times." I stared at my hands in my lap. "Certain things will trigger it sometimes. I just can't deal with the memories. I just…shut down." My mind went back to the time that Jacob saved me from the creepy guy Miles. The incident, mixed with Jacob simply raising his voice, was enough to cause me to get stuck in the memories of pain and terror.

"Edward says that he's heard you say, or think rather, that you want to work at a safe house for abused women and children." Rosalie said. Her voice was gentle as she spoke. It surprised me and I looked up into her gold eyes. "I think that is brilliant. When this all…settles down, I'd like to work on that with you, if you'll let me. Esme has a similar past; she'd like to help as well."

My eyes sparkled with unshed tears. A few days earlier Esme had shared her horrendous past with me. She had also been in an abusive relationship. I was touched that both women wanted to do something to help me with my dream. "That would be…wonderful." I said sincerely.

"We can absolutely fund one to be opened, a very nice one, too." Rosalie said. "You could run it and be in charge of it. We can't think of anyone else better than you. Carlisle can help provide medical treatment." She spoke in short bursts, as if she was brainstorming out loud. I was astonished at the dramatic change in her personality.

I smiled at Rosalie through my tears. "I would love that,"

Ever since then, Rosalie and I had actually gotten along very well. We both had quick wit and sarcastic comebacks as well as a fierce stubborn and independent streak. She had even helped me pick out an outfit to wear when I cooked for Jacob.

"So, Denae, you have a whole meal to make now." Bella said happily, shaking me out of my thoughts.

I grinned back. "Yep. And I can cook it all by myself. I don't think you understand what a miracle this is."

Bella just smiled and took another bite of pie.

"Denae, did Jacob discuss what the plan is for Saturday?" Esme asked kindly.

I nodded and looked down at my pie, suddenly losing my appetite. "Yeah, he did." I said softly.

"Is he staying with you?" Bella asked quietly. I looked up quickly and shook my head no.

"He wants to fight," I said with a sigh. I was very anxious about the impending fight. The closer we got to when it was supposed to take place, the more frightened even thinking about it made me. I didn't want anyone to get hurt. The pack was my family and the Cullens were my friends. And Jacob was my only reason for living. I didn't want anyone in all of that danger.

Bella was the only one who understood my feelings.

"They are all so sure nothing will go wrong." I closed my eyes tightly. "They think since everyone teamed up it's all going to go so smoothly and nothing bad will happen. But it's still so scary." I said.

"Nothing will go wrong," Rosalie said with a snort. "It may be hard for you _human_s to understand. But the odds are with us. I mean, Victoria does know about the dogs I mean, wolves," she shot me an apologetic glance. Since we had our heart-to-heart Rosalie was trying to be nicer to Jacob. "But that doesn't mean anything. We still have everything in our favor."

I just sighed again. Then I looked at Bella who had a pensive expression on her face. "Is Edward…" I trailed off.

She nodded yes. "He's staying with me," she said softly.

I gave her a short nod. Bella and I had wanted Jacob and Edward to stay with us, rather than fight. Edward had apparently agreed with Bella. However, Jacob was too stubborn for that. He told me that there was no way he could pass up a chance to kill anything that had every caused me a moment of pain.

Plus, there was no way Sam would let him. Jacob was the best fighter of the pack. Besides Leah, he was the fastest and besides Sam, he was the strongest. The speed and strength combined made him deadly and completely necessary.

Plans had been made. Bella would be hidden in the woods somewhere north of Forks. She'd create a false trail to an open clearing where the wolves and the Cullens would be waiting. Then, Jacob would carry her to a secluded spot to hide her scent. It would cross with several over the wolves' other trails to make it seem like it was just from their patrols. Edward was apparently going to be with her.

And I was going to be in La Push guarded by a few members of the pack. I'd also create a false trail with Bella to the clearing. Both Jasper and Jacob seemed convinced that I would be well protected in La Push.

Every time I thought about the fight I got sick to my stomach. I hated to even imagine the danger everyone was in. The lighthearted way that the pack and the Cullens joked about it didn't help.

Jacob tried and tried to convince me that nothing was wrong. "I wish I knew what to say to save you from all this worrying." He would say. "But, it's gonna be alright."

I'd smile and go along with it, but inside I being torn apart just thinking about losing him.

I think Doc knew something was up. When I talked to him last he asked me at least seven times if I was okay.

"Denae," he had said in his southern drawl. "Are you sure you're doing alright? I can be up there in two shakes of a lamb's tail if you need me."

"I'm doing just fine Doc."

"That boy treating you right?"

"Jacob is treating me like a princess, Doc."

"Well it should be more like a queen," he had grumbled.

Every time I spoke with him he always seemed to act grouchy about Jacob but I knew deep down Doc approved. If he didn't approve, he'd still be in Forks.

We were quiet for awhile and I found my mind drifting to Jacob. A strange pang of worry filled me and I could feel the invisible string that connected us together through the imprint tugging at my heart. I tried to push it off, but couldn't.

"They're coming," Esme stood quickly from the table. Usually when everyone returned home she looked excited and relieved. However, Esme's face appeared worried as she quickly opened the front door. My anxiety increased.

There was a blur and Edward was inside the house. "We need to clear a space," his amber eyes darted to me. "A big one." Then he began speaking to Esme and Rosalie too fast and low for Bella or I to hear.

"Something's wrong. What is it?" I asked frantically. No one responded. "Tell me!" I demanded impatiently. A sick feeling was growing in the pit of my stomach.

"Everything is going to be okay, Denae." Edward said slowly.

My eyes widened. I knew what that tone meant. I had heard it before when I was told about my mother and brother's deaths. "Edward, tell me right now what's wrong." My voice sounded way calmer than I felt.

Edward paused, which only infuriated me more. I stood and walked to the door and yanked it open quickly. I could see the group emerging from the trees.

My heart dropped and it felt like someone had punched me in the stomach as I took in the sight in front of me. "Jacob!" His name fell from my lips in a strangled cry.

The mist around the group created a sort of surreal effect as they walked towards me. Jacob was in between Sam and Quil. He was supported on either side and was limping. His face was twisted into a horrible grimace that he tried unsuccessfully to hide when he heard me call his name. His face looked bloody. I knew the wounds were probably already healing as part of his werewolf ability, but the evidence of an attack was still there.

"Oh my God, Jacob!" I said as I rushed down the steps. Jasper appeared in front of me, blocking me from reaching the love of my life. The last of my self-control vanished then. "What happened?" I shouted at him. My fear was causing my voice to quiver. "What did you do to him?" My mind began to spin a gruesome scene in which Jasper had viciously attacked Jacob. They had agreed that the wolves wouldn't practice with Jasper for fear that it would get out of hand. But, with Jacob's strength I knew that only a vampire could cause him that much harm.


	28. Chapter 27: Every Time We Touch

A/N: Hey! Here is an update...less than a week later...you're welcome ;). I'm a little nervous about this chapter, you'll see why. Tell me what you think! Thanks for the reviews.

All publicly recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 27**

**_Every Time We Touch - Cascada_**

_'Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling.__  
And every time we kiss I swear I could fly.  
Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last.  
Need you by my side.  
'Cause every time we touch, I feel the static.  
And every time we kiss, I reach for the sky.  
Can't you hear my heart beat so...  
I can't let you go.  
__Want you in my life._**_  
_**

"I'm going to send some calm your way, Denae." Jasper said in an even tone and I was hit with a vibe of relaxation. My tense body sagged a little under the weight of Jasper's influence. "I didn't do anything to Jacob, nor did anyone in my family. It was a different vampire. Now, let's get him inside so Carlisle can relieve some of his pain and I'll tell you what happened."

I just nodded and wished I could feel frustrated that Jasper's ability hindered me from crying and screaming like I wanted to. I hovered behind Sam and Quil as they helped Jacob up the steps.

"I'm okay," Jacob said in between gasps of pain. "I promise you Denae. I'll be good as new in an hour."

"Stay out here with Alice and I while Carlisle takes care of Jacob." Jasper said before I could follow them through the door. "Jacob will be too focused on you and making you feel better if he sees how distressed you are. I'll tell you what happened."

I glanced nervously from the door to Jasper and Alice and then back to the door. I'm not sure if I finally began to think straight or if it was Jasper's gift but I finally nodded and walked back to where Jasper and Alice were standing. I sat down on the steps and felt Jasper's influence begin to slowly fade. I took several deep breaths to remain calm on my own. I still felt the panic well up inside of me along with tears but I kept a level head.

"What the_ hell _happened to him, Jasper?" I finally said. I was physically hurting and the image of Jacob grimacing in pain was forever engraved into my memory.

Jasper sighed. "We're not sure exactly."

My eyebrows rose in question. "What does that mean?" I asked sharply.

"We had finished our meeting," Alice spoke. Her usually perky voice was gentle and soft. "And had come up with a plan. We were heading back here to get you. Jacob had phased back to walk with us and the rest of pack had headed back to La Push."

Jasper took over. "We were just walking along. Jacob was a little bit behind us when we heard him yelling. We turned around and there was a vampire on top of him, attacking him." Jasper's eyebrows dropped down over his eyes into a confused look. "None of us saw him coming. Edward couldn't read his mind, Alice couldn't see him, and I couldn't even get a read on his emotions. It was the strangest thing.

"As quick as he appeared, he was gone. We noticed after he left that something did feel…" Jasper paused.

"Off," Alice finished for him after a brief moment of thought. "Of course I couldn't see anything involving Jacob. But it was like afterwards if I tried to see him I almost could…but it was distorted or something."

"And I could feel his emotions, maybe, but it was different. Disguised or hidden almost." Jasper added. "It was the same with his scent. It is as if he had one, but it was just different." Jasper paused. "He was gone so suddenly we couldn't catch him. He just disappeared. Emmett is still out there, looking, as are the rest of the wolves. We will join them in a moment; I just wanted to be sure you were calm enough to understand what happened."

"I'm calm," I said even though my insides were trembling and my emotions were a mess. "But I still don't understand."

"We don't either," Sam's voice said from behind us. I turned and watched as he and Quil walked down the steps. Sam's jaw was set into a hard line and Quil was uncharacteristically subdued. "Did you get a look at him?"

Jasper shook his head no. "He was gone before any of us could see what he looked like. He did speak, though." Jasper looked at me hesitantly, as if he was unsure if I should hear what he had to say next. "He kept asking Jacob 'Why do you smell like her?' and just before he disappeared he said 'Her scent is all over you. That means you will die.'" I let out a gasp and Jasper looked closely at me being very open about the fact that he was gauging my emotions.

"So, what?" Quil said. "Invisi-vamp has a thing for Denae?"

Jasper considered Quil's words for a moment. "I don't know if he has a thing for Denae. However, she may be his target. It would be safe to assume that Victoria has her army split into two halves. One is probably focused on Denae and her scent and the other is focused on Bella and her scent. My guess is the vampire we saw today was probably a spy or scout." He shrugged. "He obviously has some sort of ability that allows him to stay hidden, which is probably why that is his job. More than likely he has been trained to find and track down Denae. He probably has her scent memorized. When he smelt her on Jacob, he probably didn't think. He just attacked, which is natural for a newborn. However, I'm not sure that he was all that new."

My mind went back to when Victoria had attacked me the very first time in Denton. It seemed so long ago, but it was really only a few months. "When Victoria attacked me back in Texas she told me she wanted me as part of her army because she'd thought I'd have a gift." I squirmed in my seat. "I think she is only changing humans who will probably have some sort of gift. She recognized the talent your family has, and she wanted to match that."

"Victoria has done her research. She knows about the more advanced, thought out techniques of newborn warfare." Jasper said almost to himself. "After the Volturi wiped out all the vampires participating in the newborn wars, vampires got more strategic with whom they turned. They picked humans with promise and specialized armies." His eyes were far away and he spoke so softly I almost didn't catch his last words. "A lot like the army Maria and I created." His eyes snapped to Sam. "She knows about our secret weapon but now we know about hers."

"Why did he say Jake will die?" Quil asked suddenly.

Jasper was thoughtful for a moment before responding. "She is after Bella to get back at Edward. He killed her mate, so she is seeking to kill his mate. When she failed in turning Denae her pride was hurt. The fact that Denae is now being protected by the very people she wishes to damage is just adding salt to the wound. Victoria probably wants to destroy not only Bella and Denae, but the people connected to them." Jasper said. "Jacob and Edward are prime targets."

"That sounds about right." Jacob's voice from behind me caused me to spin my head around quickly. He gave me a tired smiled as I scrambled up the steps. I skidded to a halt in front of him. I wanted to jump into his arms, but he still looked like he hurt a little.

"You're okay," I breathed. Tears were streaming down my face.

He grinned at me and gently wiped the tears off of my cheeks. "Yeah, I'm tough, remember?" He paused. "Come here." He said and then enveloped me into a warm hug as he kissed the top of my head. I felt him stiffen and I pulled back quickly to catch a look of pain cross his face before he quickly rearranged it into a smile.

"It will be at least another hour until you are feeling better, Jacob." Carlisle said as he suddenly appeared at Jacob's side. "Don't over-do it. You haven't broken anything, but you can still damage the muscle enough to where it won't heal correctly, especially when it's healing so quickly."

I didn't take my eyes off of Jacob as he nodded grimly. "Thanks, Dr. C." He said almost uncomfortably.

"We need to get back with the pack," Sam said. "Jacob, take the night off and tomorrow, too. We need you back to 100%."

"No, I want to go find that bloodsucker," Jacob said quickly.

"Jacob," Sam said in a warning tone. Then, he changed tactics. "Denae, a little help?"

I looked up into my werewolf's face. His black eyes looked back into mine. I couldn't help it, my eyes began to fill up with tears. There was no way I was letting him go back out there. I knew it was selfish of me, but I couldn't stand it if anything happened to Jacob.

"Please don't," was all I said.

Jacob looked at me for a moment. The intensity in his gaze was almost palpable. "Okay," he whispered. And with that Sam and Quil took off towards the woods.

Jasper looked at Jacob. "We'll be sure to keep a close eye on Denae's house, but be alert."

Jacob nodded. Jasper and Alice turned back towards the woods. "Uh…Jasper?" Jacob said. My eyebrows rose at Jacob's use of Jasper's name. He didn't say bloodsucker or leech. He said Jasper. Jasper turned to Jacob. "Thanks," he almost mumbled. But it was still easy to understand.

Jasper just nodded a response and then he and Alice were off, running at vampire speed back into the woods that seemed to radiate creepy, scary feelings.

"Let's go," Jacob whispered to me.

On the drive back home I looked over at Jacob as a thought suddenly crossed my mind. "Jacob, why did you thank Jasper before you left?"

Jacob sighed from his spot in the passenger seat. I had forced him not to drive.

"Because he saved me," he practically mumbled.

"Oh really?"

I expected Jacob to roll his eyes or make some comment about how he had it under control and it was Jasper's fault that the other vampire had gotten away. But he didn't. Instead he just said "Yeah. If he hadn't I'd be in a lot worse shape right now."

I saw the reflection of my startled blue eyes as I glanced in the rear view mirror. "W-what happened?"

"He came out of nowhere," Jacob said, clearly frustrated. "I couldn't smell him or hear him or anything. He jumped on my back and had me pushed against the tree in no time at all. That's why I had all those scrapes." He paused. "I heard Jasper tell you what he said. He's after you, Denae."

My hands shook against the steering wheel.

"Then, Jasper pulled him off of me, but as soon as he did, he disappeared. None of us got a good look at him." He swore softly under his breath. "It doesn't seem right that he can have that kind of a power; to turn invisible or something. I know vamps can have enhanced abilities or whatnot, but that is more like a super power. And that stupid leech has a whole army of them. What's next? X-ray vision?"

"But Jasper said he may not be totally invisible. He said that they may be able to know he's there."

"He was able to sneak up on a werewolf and a coven of vampires," Jacob responded. "He's invisible."

I swallowed hard. "J-jasper said that it was like he had a scent. It was just hidden." I couldn't stop my voice from shaking a little. An invisible vampire was intent on killing me and my boyfriend, I was a scared out of my mind.

Jacob nodded. "Yeah. I think if I smelt it again I'd know it was him. It is different, thought. Vampires usually stink. He didn't smell like one. But it was…off."

I frowned. That word kept popping up with that vampire. "Remember after our date when we got to my house we kept saying something was off?" I asked and Jacob nodded, eyeing me warily. "Y-you don't think it was him, do you?" I whispered.

"I do." He responded quickly, like he had already been considering it. "I'm _positive_ it was him."

"Oh," I said quietly as we pulled into my driveway. I had a creepy feeling but it wasn't the same feeling as that night.

"He's not here now, don't worry." Jacob said. "I don't feel the same."

I nodded and parked. "O-okay," I still clung close to Jacob as we walked into my dark house.

It was late but I could tell neither Jacob nor I were tired. We were still too jumpy from the evening's events. So we just cuddled on the couch. Some random television show was playing in the background, but we were too concerned with each other to pay any attention to it.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you," Jacob said firmly as he tilted my head up so I would look him in the eye. "I don't care what superpowers those bloodsuckers have. Nothing will happen to you."

My worried blue eyes met his determined brown ones. "It's not me I'm worried about." I said quietly. "It's you; you, and the pack, and the Cullens, and Bella." I took a deep breath. "I would feel so terrible if anything happened to them. And I would _die_ if anything happened to you."

"Don't you see?" he responded quickly. We still shared the same intense gaze. "_I_ would _die_ if anything happened to _you_." he paused as his words hung in the air. "That is why I have to fight. I'm not just doing it to prove how tough I am. I'm doing it because if anything were to happen to you I wouldn't be able to handle it."

His gaze softened and shifted from intense to loving and caring as his thumb traced my lip. "You are the single most important thing in my life, Denae. I-I always thought protecting an imprint was just a duty or job. That was until I met you. Everything changed. You are part of my every thought, my every breath. Protecting you is not just an obligation or even an impulse. It is my life."

My breath caught at his words as my eyes searched his. "Oh, Jacob." I murmured as I wrapped my arms around him and listened to his steady heartbeat.

Somehow in the following few moments the atmosphere around us changed drastically from emotional and caring to intense and passionate. Jacob had pulled my head up to his and kissed me. It started out very innocent, as most of our kisses were. But that changed quickly. It was as if with a single kiss we had set the powerful connection between us on fire and it was consuming us both.

All the talk of possible losing each other had made us needy with desire. I wanted to be as close to Jacob as possible.

It was a new area we were moving into but I found that I liked it very much. I enjoyed the feeling of Jacob's hungry lips on mine. His warm hands set my skin ablaze as he slowly moved them up and underneath my t-shirt. I was lying on the couch and he was hovering over me. He broke the fervent kiss and my eyes opened to see his looking down at me.

"I assume you're feeling better?"

"You have no idea."

His eyes were hungry with desire and I knew that mine matched his yearning.

I lifted my torso and shoulders off of the couch and took a deep breath. The desperation of the moment and knowing that at any time something could happen to Jacob or I gave me a quick burst of confidence. I quickly reached down and pulled my shirt off. I blushed as Jacob's eyes moved to my chest. I was short and petite but I was curvy so he definitely had something to look at. I silently thanked myself for wearing the pretty lacy red bra and not one of my older worn-out ones.

"You are stunning," Jacob said in a husky voice. His eyes finally moved from my breasts to my eyes and he smiled tenderly at me. "Absolutely stunning."

I closed my eyes as he kissed me again. It was a rough, needy kiss and I couldn't help but moan into his mouth as his hands began exploring my chest. He broke the kiss again and we were both breathing hard. He trailed kisses down my neck and throat. He paused at my collarbone and his tongue darted out the taste the skin there. I shuddered underneath him.

I had never felt anything like this before. I had never crossed this line with anyone else. I knew Jacob and I were young and I knew that we hadn't been together for that long. But I also knew that I would never, ever love another as I loved Jacob Black.

So when his large fingers began fumbling with the clasp of my bra behind my back I couldn't help but smile. We had never even talked about going this far, but part of the imprint was that we could communicate with each other without saying a word.

That's why I was so surprised when his hands and lips suddenly left my skin before he had the clasp undone.

My eyes flew open and I saw that he was turned and glaring at the door. He picked my shirt off the ground and handed it to me. "Here, you're going to need this." He gave one last longing glance at my chest and then stood and walked to the door. "We have company." He was mad.

I gasped and pulled my shirt over my head quickly as the knock came to the door.

Jacob looked back at me and gave me a glance that asked 'Are you ready?'I frowned and nodded as I smoothed my hair. Whatever guest we had would probably have some supernatural ability to see how I was still trying to gain control of my breathing and that my heart was still pounding loudly.

It was Sam at the door. He gave Jacob a tentative smile, which surprised me. Sam's face was usually set into an unreadable expression, the same one that Jacob had that made me want to tear my hair out in frustration. But now he looked at Jacob almost sheepishly. He knew how angry Jacob was.

"I'm sorry to…interrupt your evening." His guilty looked turned slightly playful and I knew that he knew exactly what was going on. I stifled an embarrassing groan. Sam was never playful and joking and I didn't like that he picked this time to start.

"What do you want, Sam?" Jacob said through gritted teeth.

Sam made a weak attempt at holding back a grin. "I promise I'll be quick and let you two get back to…watching TV." His eyes moved quickly to the television which was on a Brady Bunch rerun.

I rolled my eyes. "What's up, Sam?"

Sam's expression changed and he was back to the stone-faced leader. "Invisi-vamp was in La Push."

A gasp left my lips as Jacob growled out "What?"

Sam nodded. "I had the blonde male, uh Jasper, cross the treaty line with me and into La Push to see if he could pick up any trace of anything different."

My eyes widened. I knew the boundary lines had been rearranged in order for the pack to work with the Cullens, but I was very surprised that Sam had let one of them, especially Jasper, enter La Push. Jacob didn't seem to object to Sam's decision.

They trust the Cullens, I realized. I felt a twinge of pride as I also realized that trust had been established, in part, by me.

"Did he find anything?" Jacob asked quickly.

Sam's jaw clenched. "Yes. He has been all over La Push," His hands hung in tight fists by his side. "Right underneath our noses."

My eyes widened. This was bad.

Jacob began to tremble a little. "Where? Where did he go?"

Sam sighed. "Anywhere that Denae has been. First Beach, your house, my house." He paused. "The leech…or, uh Jasper was able to point out the scent to me and I pointed it out to the pack so we are able to trace him now." His eyes darted to me and then back to Jacob's. "I don't think Denae will be safe in La Push any more. He knows she will be there. He knows we will be the ones protecting her."

Jacob's fingers wound into his dark, shaggy hair in a frustrated manner. "What are we supposed to do?"

"The Cullens have offered to protect Denae during the fight." Sam said warily. I looked quickly to Jacob for his reaction.

"No," Jacob growled out.

"Jake, think about it. He knows you and Denae are connected. That's the first place he's going to go. We have to be one step ahead of him."

"No," Jacob growled again, his trembling had increased.

"Sam," I said, finally finding my voice. "Thank you for sharing this with us. We will talk about it and let you know first thing in the morning. Right now I think it is best to let us process all of this. The good news is that you can detect this vampire. Victoria has lost her secret weapon. We have the upper hand. Let's let everything sink in and then decide the best way to use it to our advantage."

Sam nodded sharply but his eyes showed me gratitude. "You're right. You both need rest." The ghost of a playful smile crossed his face before he was serious again. "I will see you tomorrow night, Jacob."

Jacob nodded and let Sam out. I sat on the couch as I replayed Sam's words in my hand.

This vampire had been tracking me for who-knows how long and no one had any idea. The pack and the Cullens had been so confident that they were untouchable. I had verbalized my skepticism in their confidence many times, as Bella had. They had just told us not to worry.

Jacob turned and dropped to his knees in front of me. I got a glance of his tired brown eyes before he wrapped his arms around me and buried his face in my hair and I knew that the confidence we all once had was gone.

We needed to worry.


	29. Chapter 28: Your Body is a Wonderland

A/N: Okay, WHO SAW ECLIPSE? I went to the midnight premiere and I absolutely LOVED IT! It was amazing even though I kept waiting for Denae to show up. :) Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think. I've decided to start responding to reviews... I mean you guys are so awesome with them and take the time to review so I can take the time to reply, right?

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 28**

**_Your Body is a Wonderland - John Mayer_**

_Damn baby  
You frustrate me  
I know you're mine all mine all mine  
But you look so good it hurts sometimes_

_Your body is a wonderland  
Your body is a wonder(I'll use my hands)  
Your body is a wonderland  
__Your body is a wonderland_

"Really, I don't want to talk about this right now," I told Jacob for the third time in two minutes. "Why don't we just not talk about it for a while and eat something."

"You don't want to talk about it?" Jacob said. He paused a moment and the tension in the room seemed to swirl around us before he shook his head, "I'm leaving."

I watched as he turned and walked outside, slamming the door behind him. I let out a frustrated groan and stalked into the kitchen. I surveyed the meal I had laid out on the counter. I had spent all day making chicken Alfredo, salad, garlic bread, and a chocolate pie. It was actually a lot more complicated than it seemed, and I had been so excited when I cooked it all by myself.

But Jacob had to come in and throw a temper tantrum. He was upset because Sam had stopped by and talked to me earlier in the day. We simply discussed what would be happening during the whole battle that would be taking place in the next 48 hours. We had a plan.

Granted, this plan put me in what Jacob would consider a lot of danger.

Jacob had stormed into my house after he had finished patrolling and the moment I looked into his stormy face I knew someone, probably Paul, had let their thoughts slip and he knew all about the secret plan. And now dinner was ruined and I was furious.

I took a deep breath to try to calm myself down before I traipsed outside into the icy rain in the designer jeans and high heels Alice gave me to find Jacob and force him to sit down and eat the nice meal I made. However, as I breathed in I inhaled the delicious scent of the meal I had prepared and my temper flared. I picked up the tray of garlic bread and walked over to the trash can. I had just pushed the foot-lever that opened the lid and was prepared to throw away my meal when two warm arms wrapped around my waist.

"Please don't do that,"

I squirmed in Jacob's arms and narrowed my eyes. "Why do you care?"

He kept one arm around me and grabbed the tray out of my hand and set it carefully on the counter "I'm sorry, I really am. I just got kind of upset…"

I interrupted him. "Kind of upset?" I growled.

"Okay, I got really upset when I heard what you wanted to do. I was too preoccupied to realize that the house smelt delicious and you were dressed up." He turned me around in his arms so I was facing him. I glowered at his chest, noticing that he actually wore a shirt for once. "Don't worry, I've been thoroughly scolded. As soon as I phased everyone jumped down my throat. Leah told me I was the worst werewolf ever and that I probably had a severely pissed off imprint." He grimaced. "She's right, huh?"

"Yes, she's right!" I said. I was very glad the pack had set Jacob straight, but that didn't mean he was getting off easy with me. "Do you know how hard I worked on this?"

Jacob gave me a guilty smile. "Um, very hard?"

"Yes, very hard." I said, still scowling unattractively. "And do you know how much I hate wearing high heels?"

"They are really, really hot if that makes you feel any better at all." Jacob said as his sheepish smile turned into a seductive look. But I knew exactly what he was doing.

"Of course they are really hot!" I said with a huff that reminded me of Rosalie. "That is why I am wearing them."

Jacob's large hands framed my face. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm so sorry that I acted like that and I didn't take the chance to see that you had done all of this." He kissed my forehead. "I don't deserve it."

"That's the whole thing, Jacob." I said. My frustration had begun to wane a little with his apology. "You do deserve it. You deserve so much more. I was such a mess when I came here and you changed all that." I paused. My voice was thick with emotion but I refused to cry. "I was so depressed and so out of it but you gave me hope. You saved my life, Jacob. And I just wanted to do something special for you."

A second passed and Jacob's lips were on mine. He pulled back. "You saved my life too, baby."

His use of baby and the kiss he gave me had melting in his hands and I sighed. "Are you hungry?"

He grinned.

"Never mind, of course you're hungry." I patted his stomach. "Have a seat and I'll get our plates."

After I had sat down with the food I watched as Jacob twisted some pasta on his fork and take a big bite. He chewed thoughtfully.

"Well?" I asked impatiently. I wanted to know what he thought about it.

"Oh wow," he moaned with a mouthful of food. "It's amazing." He gave me a huge smile. "I thought you couldn't cook!"

My smile reflected his. "Bella taught me how to cook this when I went to the Cullens." I said smugly.

"You did a great job." He took another huge bite of pasta. Satisfied that he really did like the meal, I dug into my plate.

The tension from earlier dissipated quickly as we ate and talked about everything except for the stuff that we knew would upset us. It made me yearn for normalcy I knew we'd never reach. But it was nice to pretend for just a little while. The melancholy from earlier was gone and we were both enjoying ourselves.

After we had both finished eating I smiled and started to clear the table.

"What are you doing?" Jacob pulled me down onto his lap.

I laughed. "I'm cleaning, silly." I said and giggled again as he kissed a ticklish spot underneath my ear.

"Nope, wrong answer. Try again." He said and I felt him smile against my neck.

I set the plates down and turned in his lap. "Um, okay. How about making out with my boyfriend?"

Jacob's answering grin told me that I had the right answer. "I think we should pick up where Sam interrupted us the other night. Judging from the pack's thoughts when I phased we have the whole evening to ourselves." His hands were creeping up my shirt. Butterflies filled my stomach and I blushed a little.

But, I kept my cool and pretended to think about it. "I don't know…there are a lot of dishes…"

"Wrong again!" Jacob said. Before I could realize what he was doing he had picked me up and thrown me over his shoulder. I shrieked in surprise as he carried me down the hall.

"Jacob!" I cried. "What are you doing?"

Jacob set me down outside my room. I struggled to catch my breath. He had a smug smile on his face and his eyes were dark with desire. He took a step towards me in a way that reminded me of his predator like strides as a wolf. I instinctively took one back. The process repeated and I was up against the wall by the door to my bedroom.

Slowly Jacob placed his hands on either side of my head. He stood close to me and I found it was impossible to breathe correctly. My heart was pounding and my skin was hypersensitive to every touch. Our eyes were locked as he leaned in close to me.

"You want to know what I'm doing?"

Unable to speak, I just nodded.

His eyes were blazing as he answered me. "Tomorrow I'm going to face an army of bloodsucking monsters and kill the vampire who hurt my girl. Tomorrow I'm going to show this invisi-vamp that you are mine by tearing him apart limb from limb." Jacob's voice was rough as he spoke and even though what he said terrified me, a small part of me really liked the words he was saying. Calling me 'his' wasn't Jacob being possessive. It was the truth. I belonged to him and he belonged to me. Jacob licked his lips and the movement caught my eyes.

"But right now," he said in a husky voice. My eyes were still glued to his lips. "I'm going to make love to my girlfriend."

* * *

The moon and stars of the dark, clear night stared down at me as I gazed out the window. Jacob was curled into my side. His arm rested on my waist over the sheet that was wrapped around me. I looked down at the contrast of his dark russet skin against the white sheet. My eyes ran over his sleeping figure. The sheet had slipped down low on his waist, nearly exposing his naked form.

I smiled as I stared at his peaceful face. The events from the night ran through my mind. Jacob and I had made love but there wasn't a single regret or second thought about anything inside of me. I had no idea what would happen to either of us after the fight. All I knew was that I wanted to be as connected to Jacob as possible.

There were no words to express how it felt to be with Jacob. It was just right. Our connection was only intensified now and I could practically feel the magic of the imprint humming through my veins. I just knew, deep down, that laying here with my legs tangled in Jacob's was where I belonged. I would never be able to explain the sense of completeness I felt in that moment.

Jacob's arms tightened around me and with a small sigh his eyes opened. I smiled at his sleepy face. "Hey," he said softly.

"Hi," I responded as my hands traced his jaw line.

"You look so beautiful right now," he pulled me even closer to him and my hands moved to his hair as he kissed the side of my neck. "How do you feel?"

I sighed as his hands roamed over my body. "Absolutely perfect; I never want to leave this bedroom."

He chuckled softly. "That's okay with me."

"How do you feel?"

He pulled back so I could see his face. "I can't even express how amazing I feel right now." He paused and I could see he was thinking. "Do you feel…different?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I do. I can't really explain it but it's like before I wasn't complete but now I'm…" I paused, looking for the right word.

"Whole?" Jacob finished for me.

I smiled and nodded. "Yes. Now I'm whole."

He grinned. "I know exactly what you mean." His grin slipped a little. "I-I am going to be honest. I used to be so afraid of imprinting on someone. I was so wrapped up in…well, you know. But now I don't know how I could ever think that. That was even better than I ever imagined."

I laughed. "You imagined it before?"

Jacob just smirked at me, which caused me to laugh harder.

I snuggled in closer to him. "Well, I agree," I paused. "Much better than I imagined, too." Jacob laughed at that as I smiled silently.

A few moments passed before Jacob spoke again. "I've been thinking,"

I leaned my head up so I could look at him. "Oh really?" I raised an eye brow. "And when did you have time for that? I thought I kept you pretty busy this evening."

Jacob let out a loud laugh and shook his head. "Yes, you've kept me plenty busy. But, really I guess I just thought of it." He paused and I could tell he was trying to think of the best way to word whatever it was he wanted to say. "The plan that you and Sam have…I-I guess I'm okay with it." He paused and shook his head. "Wait, no I'm not okay with it. But, I guess I understand that it has to be done."

My eyes widened a little. "What?"

He sighed and closed his eyes. "I hate that your protection will be left to a bloodsucker and that you won't be in familiar territory. But, I understand. Plus it makes sense to have you and Bella at the same spot away from the action."

He looked so distressed just thinking about it that I automatically began searching for some way to ease his worry. "I don't want to do it either," I said honestly. "I'm not like Bella. I don't have this irrational need to find some way that I can help out. I'm terrified. I'd rather be sitting in La Push with Billy and Charlie." My hands were running through his soft hair as I spoke. "But, after what happened to you and finding out that vampire was in La Push." I shuddered. "I don't feel safe anywhere. It gives me a really creepy feeling and I want him dead so I don't have to be so paranoid." I paused. "Plus I do feel safe with Edward there. I thought it would be impossible to ever trust a vampire, but I do trust the Cullens. I know it's much harder for you, but I do."

He just sighed in response.

"And," I said with a smile. "Seth will be there. He will keep you updated the entire time."

"Yeah, the entire time he's not whining about sitting out of the fight."

"Thank you for being understanding." I said after a moment. "I love you."

Jacob smiled and rolled on top of me. I could feel every part of him pressing against me. "I love you, Denae." He paused. "More than I can express in words."

My arms wrapped around his neck. "Why don't you show me then?"

* * *

"When this is over we are spending a whole day in bed," Jacob announced as we ate breakfast the next morning. Well, he ate. I was too nervous to do anything but push around the scrambled eggs on my plate.

I couldn't help but smile at his matter of fact tone. "I think I can handle that."

He nodded, still keeping a straight face. "We need to leave soon so you guys can make the false trail. Go ahead and get changed and I'll clean up."

I nodded and stood. "Just give me a little time, okay?"

"Okay. Oh, and Denae?"

"Yes?"

"I know I've said this before but you look so good in my shirt," he finally smiled.

Thirty minutes later we were heading out into the light snow that had begun to fall.

We walked into the woods and I instantly lost all sense of direction. I was very glad I had Jacob with me. I tried to walk as nimbly over the roots and branches on the ground as Jacob did but ended up just stumbling along by his side.

We reached the spot that we were supposed to meet Bella and Edward and they were already there waiting, talking quietly. They stopped as we approached.

"Well, fancy meeting you here!" I said in an over exaggerated Texas accent. The state of doom everyone was in was starting to get to me and so I dealt with it the way that came naturally, humor. Bella's worried look didn't change much so I bumped her with my shoulder. "Excuse me pretty lady, do you come here often?" I tried to smile at her.

She forced a smile back at me. "Well, I only randomly wander through the forest when an army of bloodthirsty vampires are after me."

I grinned. "So, pretty often then, huh?"

She gave me a genuine smile then. "Something like that."

"Alright Bells," I said as I started touching trees around me just like Sam had told me to. "I hope you're feeling stinky today." Edward laughed at that. "Let's confuse some newborns."


	30. Chapter 29: The Kinslayer

A/N: Here we go! The chapter you have ALL be waiting for...I can't wait to read the reviews and see what you think! :) You all are the best! I just loved the reviews I got last time! :)

PS- Any Nightwish fans? Check out the band..it's awesome and the music really fits the whole fighting scene.. Love it!

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 29**

**_The Kinslayer - Nightwish_**

_For whom the gun tolls_  
_For whom the prey weeps_  
_Bow before a war_  
_Call it religion_  
_Some wounds never heal_  
_Some tears never will_  
_Dry for the unkind_  
_Cry for mankind_  
_Even the dead cry_**  
**

"You are a very intriguing human," Edward said as we raced through the forest.

He was carrying me, which was beyond awkward but necessary. Edward was following the Cullen's scent on their side of the treaty line to the campsite. Jacob was carrying Bella on the pack's side of the treaty line. The area Edward had picked for Bella and I to camp out at was actually on Quileute land but it was far enough away from the clearing that the newborns and Victoria probably wouldn't notice that Edward had crossed the line.

Or at least that's what Jasper, Edward, and Sam thought. I, on the other hand, had no clue where we were.

They were certain the newborns would stay away from Jacob's scent, or stench as Emmett referred to it, but we were hoping by mixing in the scents of the rest of the Cullen's with Edward's the newborns wouldn't find any reason to follow it and my scent would be covered up. I had suggested that Jacob carry me and Edward carry Bella but apparently mine and Bella's scent mixed with our respective supernatural boyfriend's scents would be a potent mixture that would be easily identifiable. Jasper was going to pass through in an hour to make sure that there was no trail that would lead to me. I just went along with it because everyone smelled perfectly fine to me.

"How so?" I asked out loud. Edward had told me that I could just talk in my head to him and he'd answer but that was just too weird for me.

"The way your mind works is a lot different from most humans." Edward said as he easily climbed a rather steep hill with me in his arms. "Your focus is more outward than inward. Most humans look at situations and determine how it will affect them. You do the opposite. You look at situations and determine the effect on the people involved. After you do that then you turn inward to see what you can do to change the situation so it works out the way you want it to. You are very in tune with people and what motivates them." He paused. "Victoria was right. If you carried this characteristic with you after being changed you would be a very powerful vampire."

I stayed silent for a few moments, processing what Edward said. Finally I responded. "I…I can't help it."

Edward laughed. "Of course you can't. That's just who you are." He chuckled softly to himself. "It is one of the things Jacob loves about you."

My eyebrows rose in question. "Oh really?" I wanted to know more about what Jacob thought about me.

Edward nodded. "It is very intriguing to hear both of your minds at the same time. They are synchronized with each other almost. Everything you think is a perfect complement to what he thinks, and vice versa. Even if you two are disagreeing on a point, the way your minds are both so focused on the other person is very fascinating."

"I feel a little bit like a frog in a biology class," I stated frankly. "Like I'm an experiment and you want to dissect me or something."

Edward smiled. "No, not at all." He paused for a few seconds. "I'm very glad Jacob found you. Bella was so worried about him and hated that she was hurting him. I am grateful for what he did when I left. Bella was very broken and he fixed her. That's what Jacob Black does. He fixes things."

I pondered on that as Edward effortlessly leapt over a small stream. "I suppose your right. He is always messing with cars. When I first met him he came over and started to fix stuff at my house." And he fixed me. I thought I was broken beyond repair but he fixed me right up.

Edward acknowledged my thought with a nod of his head. "You are precisely what Jacob needs in every way. The imprinting phenomenon is quite the marvel in that aspect. Your past tragedies would have left a weaker person in complete shambles. However, you were strong enough to not be completely defeated by what happened to you. But you were still broken and Jacob has a compulsion to mend broken things; it's in his nature. Do you understand how perfect the two of you are for each other?"

I looked straight ahead as I answered quietly. "It still surprises me every day."

Edward spoke again. "Not only that, but Jacob is strong-willed, pushy and stubborn,"

"Hey now,"

He continued as if I hadn't spoken. "But so are you."

I frowned. "I'm not sure how to take that."

"It's a good thing, trust me."

We reached the campsite a few minutes later and I was still thinking about what Edward had said. I knew that Jacob and I were the perfect match but I never realized how even the situation we were in made us perfect for each other. It was a little mind boggling to realize that maybe fate really did have plans for Jacob and I.

Edward ran around and set up the campsite at vampire speed. I just stood and watched and in awe for about a minute as he was a blur setting up the tent and rolling out sleeping bags for Bella and I.

About fifteen minutes later Jacob and Bella broke through the trees. They seemed very comfortable with each other as Jacob set Bella down and ruffled her hair. I waited for the jealously to flare up at seeing them act so close but it never came. The truth was I was fine with Jacob and Bella's friendship. I understood they had been through a lot together and even though Jacob did at one time have feelings for Bella I knew I had nothing to worry about.

After giving Bella a hard time about eating too much Jacob wrapped me up in a hug and I clung to him tight.

"Do you have to go?" I whispered into his chest. I never wanted to let go.

Jacob sighed. "Yes. I'm sorry but I do." He pulled back and leaned down to smooth my windblown hair out of my face. "I don't have much time before I have to go with Sam to set up the fake patrol trails. Then we're headed off to the clearing to wait and hope those bloodsuckers fall for the trap."

On cue, Sam and Seth broke through the trees into our small clearing. I nodded to each of them and then turned back to Jacob. My arms wrapped around his neck as I clung to him.

"Be careful," I whispered. "I love you." There was nothing else for me to say. I had said all I could the night before by sharing every part of me with Jacob.

"I love you," Jacob responded. "I will be back for you soon."

We shared a passionate kiss that was too short for my liking and then Jacob was jogging towards the woods with Sam. A few moments later he broke through the trees in his wolf form and trotted over to me. His enormous head leaned down so he could look me in the eye.

I reached up and stroked his fur softly and his brown eyes closed for a moment before he opened them again and licked the side of my face. I couldn't help but giggle as Jacob gave me a wolfy grin.

Sam let out a noise that sounded like he was clearing his throat and with one last lick Jacob disappeared into the woods behind him.

Seth let out a small bark and I turned and patted his shoulder. "Good to see you, Seth. I'm glad you're looking out for us, kid."

The tall, gangly wolf plopped down onto the ground and rolled around with a silly look on his face. He was keeping Edward connected with the pack and the Cullens by looking out at our campsite.

I smiled at my friend and then turned to Edward and Bella. I wanted to just curl up inside of the tent and bawl my eyes out but Bella looked really scared and Edward had a concerned look on his face so I sucked it up.

"Let's get inside," Edward suggested. "Alice said a storm should be moving in at any time."

"Aw, and I was hoping we could roast some marshmallows." I deadpanned.

* * *

I was absolutely freezing. Bella and I had long ago slipped into the same sleeping bag to huddle together and share body heat, but both of our temperatures had dropped too low for it to make any difference. The wind whipped around outside and the tent shook at its ferocity. Seth let out a low whine as my teeth began chattering.

"Jacob is very concerned," Edward said quietly. He had moved as far away from Bella and I as possible, afraid that even being close to his frigid skin would cause our body temperature to drop. "Well, that is an understatement. He is sick with worry right now. The whole pack is."

"S-s-seth," I chattered out. "P-please tell Jacob and the pack that I-I-I'm okay."

Seth let out another low whine and I didn't need Edward to tell me that Seth probably wasn't very convincing.

Edward was quiet for several moments before he let out a huff. "This will cause complications," he murmured.

"W-w-w-what?" Bella stuttered out as she convulsed next to me.

Before Edward could answer I heard the sound of the tent unzipping and felt a small gust of frozen air enter the tent before a familiar voice rang out.

"I don't care. It will cause complications if Denae or Bella lose their toes or get hypothermia. I can't handle it anymore."

"J-j-jay…" I tried to make my mouth form the word 'Jacob' but I couldn't control the chattering.

"Shhh, baby, I'm here." Jacob said soothingly and I felt the sleeping bag unzip behind me.

"W-what're you doing?" Bella asked as Jacob's warm hand touched my cold skin. I jumped a bit in surprise of the warmth of the contact.

"I'm here to keep you warm."

Jacob slid in the sleeping bag behind me. He grabbed the other sleeping bag and draped it over us because the one we were in wouldn't zip shut with all three of us crammed in the small space.

"G-g-get in between us. B-bella is w-worse than I am." I directed as I tried to sit up.

Jacob managed to slide in between Bella and I and we both curled into him. Jacob wrapped his arm around me as I clung to his side and closed my eyes as the warmth began to spread through my numb limbs. It almost was painful.

Bella had her arms wrapped around Jacob's arm and I was glad to hear that the chattering of her teeth start to slow and eventually stop.

"Are you warmer?" Jacob asked softly.

I nodded and pried my eyes open. "Thank you for coming."

"Seth could hear your teeth chattering from outside the tent. And we all know that the bloodsucker over there couldn't do anything about you two being cold." Edward made a noise under his breath. "I wasn't going to let my two favorite girls freeze to death."

"Thanks Jake. You're so warm." Bella said sleepily.

Time passed slowly and as I clung to Jacob I couldn't help but think about how we clung as we laid in bed together last night. That made my mind drift to the events that had led to us lying in bed together and I remembered how Jacob looked as he hovered over me. He was breathing hard and the muscles in his arms and shoulders stood out as his dark eyes hungrily drank in the sight of me naked underneath him.

"Will you two please control your thoughts?" Edward snapped suddenly, shaking me out of my memory.

Jacob chuckled softly. "You thinking about what I'm thinking about?" he whispered in my ear.

"Probably," I whispered back, blushing furiously at Edward's sight in to my over-active imagination. I was so embarrassed I had been caught thinking about that.

"Honestly, Jacob." Edward growled out. "I asked you to stop, not shout it out loud in your head."

"Jacob!" I said. I was so tired that it came out very weak and Jacob just laughed softly again.

"I can't help it,"

"You can and you will." Edward whispered harshly. "You two both need to get some sleep, even though I am dreading your dreams."

Jacob just kissed the top of my head. I was too tired to come up with a reply to Edward so I just closed my eyes and tried to go to sleep. Right before I fell asleep I heard Jacob and Edward talking.

"This will cause problems in the morning for your pack. You'll have to go back and fix all the trails. But, I'm glad you came Jacob." Edward said with a sigh.

"There was no way I could let her or Bella freeze," Jacob said in a straightforward tone.

"The way you think has changed," Edward said hesitantly. "You used to be a lot more risky and less controlled. Bella went to you when she got tired of me being so careful with her." He paused. "But since Denae has come into your life that has changed."

"Of course it has. I loved Bella, I really did,"

"I know you did," Edward interjected.

"Good. But…" Jacob paused and shifted next to me. "The imprint ties me so close to Denae that even thinking about anything hurting her is painful. It's hard to explain."

"You left her for the same reasons I left Bella," Edward said quietly. "Do you understand now?"

Jacob sighed. His voice was full of regret. "I do. When I stayed away from her all those weeks I swear it almost killed me. The only thing keeping me going was the thought that she was safer without me around. As much as I hate to admit it, I do understand why you left Bella."

"I only wish you could have learned from my mistake. I didn't realize when I left Bella that it would be so much worse for both of us being apart. I understand you found the same was true with you and Denae?" Edward asked. I was surprised his tone seemed almost polite. I knew he knew I was listening and so I silently thanked him for not letting Jacob know I was awake.

"Exactly," Jacob said. His grip on me tightened. He was silent for a few moments.

"I agree," Edward answered Jacob's internal comment. "Sometimes it is overwhelming. But you are right. I wouldn't change a thing." Both Edward and Jacob were silent a moment.

"What?" Jacob finally said. "You get to see all my thoughts and pick apart my brain but I can't see into yours?" I recognized the tone as the one he used when he was being particularly stubborn.

Edward sighed. "No, I don't want her to become like me. Of course I would love it if Bella wasn't so breakable and vulnerable."

"Bells is a lot stronger than you think," Jacob interrupted.

"You're right, she is. But I would not have to worry so much about things like what is happening right now if she was like me. She could fight back." Edward sighed again. "But I don't want her to have to endure this life."

Jacob was silent for several more moments.

"We are a lot more alike than I may have originally thought, Jacob Black." Edward said and there was a hint of respect in his tone.

"I suppose," Jacob answered. "But you still smell bad."

I smiled at the exchange and finally allowed myself to drift off to sleep.

* * *

When I woke up, Jacob was gone. I looked around the tent and saw Bella was waking up next to me as well.

"Where's Jacob?" I asked as Edward looked over at me.

"He had to leave before the sun came up to reset the trails with Sam." Edward answered. "He didn't want to leave you, but he also didn't want to wake you up."

I sighed. I wished I could have said goodbye but part of me was glad Jacob left. I didn't know if I could hold the tears in this time. "How much longer?"

"And hour," Edward answered solemnly.

I nodded and sat up as Bella looked around the bright tent. "I had the strangest dream," she said eyeing Edward carefully.

I smiled. "Me too,"

The next hour passed too quickly. It had actually warmed up enough that Bella and I could leave the tent and stretch our legs. Mostly I just paced until Seth sat up quickly and let out a growl.

"It's started," Edward said quietly. He frowned as he watched the fight through Seth's eyes. "Where is she?"

"Who?" Bella asked as she rushed to Edward's side. "What's happening?"

"Victoria. She's not with the newborns." His frown deepened. "Jacob is looking for her but she's not there. Oh wow, good job Leah. She's fast."

"What is happening, Edward?" Bella said frantically. Her lip was between her teeth as she clutched onto Edward.

"Leah just took down a newborn. Sam and Jared just got another one. Emmett and Paul just got a third."

I just stared at Edward. Suddenly I was aware that I was anxiously biting my nails into and I forced myself to put my hands into my coat pocket. "Did the false trail work?" I asked quietly as I looked out into the woods around me.

"Like a charm. It seems as if all the newborns have made it to the clearing. They lost two along the way. However, Victoria and the vampire who attacked Jacob haven't appeared."

I just nodded and resumed my pacing as Edward filled us in on the fight. Finally he said. "It's winding down now. There is only a handful left. Perhaps Victoria and the other vampire didn't come at all."

I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding and I saw Bella visibly relax as well. I was so glad it went over as easy as everyone seemed to think it would. I went over and hugged Bella, glad that the ordeal was over. We were just pulling away when suddenly Edward was pushing us back up against the rock of the mountain side we were camping in front of.

"Edward?" Bella asked in a panicked tone. "What is it, Edward?"

"She found us. She found my trail." Edward was scanning the trees in front of us. Seth moved swiftly to stand in front of me. He was growling and snarling. The hair on his back was sticking straight up.

The pounding of my heart seemed to drown it all out as Edward's words sunk in. The cadence picked up when Edward spoke again.

"She's not alone,"

Two figures emerged from the trees. My eyes instantly went to the flaming red hair and smooth pale skin of Victoria. Her eyes darted from me to Bella and then back to me again. Occasionally they would flicker over Edward or Seth but they always returned to Bella or I. Her face was set into an unreadable but deadly expression.

I thought my heart would escape from my chest, it was beating so hard. There she was: the root of my nightmares and the cause of so much of my heartbreak. Half of me was terrified to the point where I wanted to pass out. The other half of me was so enraged that I wanted to rip her apart with my own hands, even thought I knew it was impossible. I struggled to keep my breathing even and forced myself to match her stony gaze.

"Riley," Edward was speaking. "Listen to me. Victoria lied to you. She doesn't love you."

"Don't listen to him Riley," Victoria's voice was soft. Nothing like the hateful, harsh tone she had used both times she attacked me. "You know what the truth is." She moved and I flinched as if she had grabbed for me but she just touched the other vampire's arm softly. "Remember what you have to do. Remember which one is your responsibility."

The other vampire was a boy who seemed a little bit older than Bella and I. He was blonde and had bright red eyes and a wild expression on his face as his gaze fixed on Bella. His breathing was staggered and his fists clenched and unclenched several times.

"She's lying, Riley. She has been feeding you lies from the beginning. She doesn't care about you. This is about her real mate, James." Edward's voice was calm but he had taken up a crouch and I knew he was not as calm as he seemed. He was tense, ready for a fight.

"Stop it!" The vampire yelled. "Stop it!" He lunged in our direction and I gasped but Seth cut him off. He let out a piercing scream and watched with wide eyes as Seth tore off a chunk of Riley's arm.

Edward had turned towards where Seth and Riley were now fighting but my eyes went back to Victoria where she had turned to flee. Riley was crying out in agony and Seth continued to attack him. "Victoria!" he screamed for help, but she just ignored him.

"Don't," I said loudly. My voice echoed off the trees and the mountain side. "This is your chance, Victoria. Both Bella and I here, in the same place again. You messed up last time and lost us both."

Her eyes narrowed as she glared at me. "You stupid human," She growled.

"She's right," Edward's attention was back on Victoria. "If you run away now, you'll never get this chance again." I saw him tense a little. "James would be so disappointed."

The mention of her mate was all it took and she was a blur as she sprang towards us. Edward, seeing what she was planning to do, moved just an instant before she did and they met mid air with a loud crack before falling to the ground.

I couldn't keep up with what was going on. Snarls and growls mixed in with the sounds of scraping and stone-like bodies clashing together. But I saw with clarity as Riley dodged an advance by Seth and landed a firm kick to Seth's side, sending him skidding away. Seth let out a whine and then was quiet. He had landed only a few feet away and I saw Riley get up and seemingly shake off the pain as he staggered towards Seth again.

My feet began to move and before I knew what I was doing I was on my knees next to Seth. "Get up, Seth." I begged frantically as tears began to fall. "Get up, please." My mind raced to figure out what I could do to help him. Poor Seth was just 15. He was so smart and he didn't even realize it. And he was the most genuine and caring person I had ever known. My heart broke as I saw him lying in the snow. I had become so attached to the whole pack the past few months, and Seth had become like my brother.

Seth made a noise and his eyes locked with mine. He was trying to tell me something, but I didn't know what. I wasn't thinking properly. But when I looked up Victoria was standing over me. She reached down and picked me up by my arm. My eyes scanned the clearing and I saw Edward throwing Riley into a tree. I didn't know how that had happened, everything was moving too fast.

I cried out in pain but she just stared into my eyes. "You have ruined so much for me,"

Suddenly a loud growl distracted us both and I saw Seth lunge at Victoria. I was thrown several feet away and my breath was knocked out of me as I landed on the cold, hard ground. Dizziness swept over me and I realized I must have hit my head.

My vision was a little dim, and it sounded like everything was in a tunnel. I closed my eyes against the pain in the back of my head. When I opened them I saw russet colored fur. It took me a second to realize Jacob was here. Standing next to him was Jasper.

"J-jacob! Jasper!" I said and my voice sounded far away. "W-what…?"

"There were more newborns than we thought," Jasper explained, never taking his eyes off of whatever he was watching in front of me. "They're here at the campsite now. But so are we."

My eyes finally focused on the horrifying scene in front of me. It seemed as if there were about three more newborns plus Victoria and Riley. But Jasper, Emmett, and a few of the wolves were here. I picked out Embry, Paul and Quil but couldn't make out who the other ones were. At the same time Jasper lunged towards a female newborn and Jacob dove for a male.

Everyone was so distracted that they didn't notice that someone else had walked into the clearing. Jasper and Jacob had moved and left me sitting in the open, unprotected.

The figured turned and was looking at me. In an instant he was standing in front of me, looking down at me. I felt all the blood leave my face and my heart surely dropped into my stomach. I recognized the face in front of me.

"Chase?" I whispered.


	31. Chapter 30: Secrets

A/N: Alrighty, there is only ONE more chapter left after this! Sad, I know. However I do have good news: _**There will be a sequel**_! I've officially decided to do a sequel and I'm excited about it! I'll include a teaser for it at the end of the next chapter :) Let me know what you think about this one...nothing too groundbreaking, just mostly tying up loose ends. I hope you enjoy! Thanks for the reviews...and as always: All publicly recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyers...No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Chapter 30**

_**Secrets - One Republic**_

_Tell me what you want to hear  
Something that were like those years  
Sick of all the insincere  
So I'm gonna give all my secrets away  
This time, don't need another perfect line  
Don't care if critics never jump in line  
I'm gonna give all my secrets away**  
**_

Chaos, complete and utter chaos. That's all I remember from the following minutes after I saw my dead brother appear in front of me.

He crouched down in front of me. "Dee," he whispered, his voice was full of pain. "Oh God, Dee." I had to stifle a gasp as I took in his eyes, which were once identical to mine, large, almond shaped and usually clear blue. But now, they were bright red; the color of my nightmares.

He slowly reached out and touched my hand. His skin was ice cold. I was still scared, even though I was trying to make sense of why my dead brother looked and felt like a vampire. It finally dawned on me. Victoria must have changed him. "I did this to you,"

"No, don't you dare think that," he growled out. "This is not your fault."

I opened my mouth to reply but I heard an angry howl sound to our right. My head snapped towards the sound and even before I saw him through the smoke of the burning vampires I knew it was Jacob. He tore a newborn in half and threw it into the blazing fire. The fire smelt worse than anything I had ever smelt before. The odor worked its way into my olfactory system and was a stark reminder that this was very real and Jacob was about to make Chase apart of that blaze.

I scrambled to my feet and moved in front of Chase. I knew that would slow Jacob down. He skidded to a halt, but his hair was still raised, his eyes were narrowed, and his ears were flat against his head.

"No, Jacob!" I realized I was crying, a lot. "Stop!"

His eyes darted from me and then behind me, where Chase was.

"It's Chase!" I sounded hysterical-absolutely insane. "You can't hurt him, he's my brother!"

He literally staggered back at my words and his look for pure anger was replaced by one of confusion. But it didn't last long because Chase moved in front of me, a snarl ripping form his own throat at Jacob.

"It's you," Chase sounded scary, even worse than when he threatened to beat up Joey Ritago for commenting on my rear-end during my junior year of high school. "The last time I saw you, I told you that you'd die. You still reek of my sister."

I started clawing at his arm. "Chase!" Tears were rolling down my face. This wasn't going to end well. I was completely desperate. "Stop it!"

"I'm here to protect you, Denae. I won't let him hurt you." He didn't take his eyes off of Jacob.

"No! You're wrong, he'd never hurt me. I-I love him, Chase!" I tried to scramble back in front of him, but he just pushed me back behind him.

Jacob let out another vicious snarl. It was in his instinct to not trust a vampire, and the way Chase was acting gave him plenty of excuse to attack. I watched in horror as Chase began to approach Jacob. My eyes scanned the clearing as I suddenly remembered there were more than just me, Chase, and Jacob. Edward was standing protectively in front of Bella, scanning the woods intently. Emmett and Jasper were nowhere to be seen and Quil, Embry, Paul and Seth were standing behind Jacob, ready to step in if anything happened.

That's when I felt it. A cold, hard hand wrapped around my wrist and jerked me backwards into a cold, hard body. I looked up and was met with bright red eyes that belonged to _her_. Victoria.

I screamed. It sounded like something out of a horror movie, probably because I was completely horrified. I thought Edward had been handling her. That must have been why he was scanning the woods so intently. I saw Emmett and Jasper break through the trees out of the corner of my eye and stop abruptly.

"You stupid, lying fool!" She was talking to Chase, and her grasp around my neck and arm tightened. I struggled to breathe and winced as the pain went through my arm and waited to hear and feel the crack of my bone. Jacob's attention was completely off of Chase now as he readied to pounce on Victoria. "Don't come near me, dog or I'll break her neck." She didn't take her eyes off of Chase.

"Let her go," Chase's voice was pure hatred.

"You said you were going to kill her when you saw her! You said it was all her fault!" Victoria was shaking with rage and the grip she had on my neck tightened even more. For a moment I was shocked that Chase would say that, but I realized it must have been an act.

I heard Jacob faintly whimper. This had to be killing him.

"It's a good thing that I'm a terrific actor," Chase's voice was still deadly. "Let her go right now."

"I can't make up my mind now." She leaned in and sniffed the skin on my neck as her hand tightened around my throat. "I've been dead set on changing her, but now that my army has been destroyed I may just kill her. Her blood does smell…delicious."

Suddenly, Chase was gone. He just disappeared. One moment he was in front of us, the next he was gone. Invisi-vamp I thought to myself. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Edward start moving and Emmett and Jasper took up guard over Bella. Victoria didn't notice Edward. She was looking around wildly, trying to find Chase. I did the same.

"Oh, pulling the disappearing act again, Chase?" Victoria's voice was manic. She was desperate now. Her army was gone and Chase had apparently betrayed her. She knew no one would attack as long as she held me captive. "Well, funny thing is, I'm good at that, too." She moved and threw me over her shoulder. I gasped for air as tears slid down my face. She turned but stopped short.

"I believe I said let her go," I heard a loud cracking sound and suddenly I was pitched forward. It reminded me a lot of the last time I was in this situation with Victoria and I had intentionally flipped over her back to escape. I closed my eyes waiting for the impact of the cold, hard ground.

Instead, cold, hard arms caught me and set me on my feet. I opened my eyes to see Edward give me a concerned look and then he turned to where Chase and Victoria were fighting. Jacob had jumped in, too and I saw a piece of white skin go flying. I prayed it was Victoria.

The silver wolf I recognized as Paul moved in front of me and started pushing me backwards, away from the fight. His dark brown eyes held concern as he nudged me with his nose. I stayed hidden behind him, Seth, Embry, and Quil as Victoria's screeching rang out in the clearing. I heard sobbing and realized it was coming from me.

After a few moments, it was completely quiet. I peeked around Paul's shoulder and saw Jacob toss the last piece of Victoria's midsection into the fire.

That's when I passed out.

* * *

Pain. Yelling. More pain. That was the sequence of events as I woke back up. My eyes opened quickly and I looked around, confused and disoriented.

"I was just looking out for her, dog!"

"That's my job, leech!"

My eyes flew to the source of the yelling and I saw that Jacob had Chase pinned up against a tree.

"He's telling the truth, Jacob." Jasper said slowly as if he was talking to a frightened animal.

"Don't do the mood control thing right now, Jasper." Jacob spat out.

"I can hear his thoughts, Jacob. He's not lying." Edward had the same calm tone as Jasper. "He planned the whole attack on Victoria just a few moments ago. That's how I knew to move. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have been able to catch her."

I finally found my voice. "Jacob!" It was rough and raspy but it did the trick. Jacob looked from Chase to me and the back to Chase but his grip didn't ease. "Let him go, Jacob! Please!" My exasperation was apparent in my voice.

Jacob growled in frustration and his eyes were narrowed at Chase. "You go take care of her scent and then we'll talk. I'm not quite as trusting as everyone else and there is no way you're getting near her."

Chase's eyes narrowed and he tensed up for a moment. But then he relaxed. "Alright," he said quietly. His eyes met mine. "I'll wait. But you can't keep me away from her. She's my sister."

"We'll see about that," Jacob said in a threatening voice.

"Jacob!" I said. I meant it to be forceful and commanding but it came out weak and pathetic. I was drained.

With one last glare Jacob let go of Chase and then pushed past Paul, Seth, Embry, and Quil to my side. Chase disappeared as Jacob carefully helped me sit up.

"Take her to her house," Edward instructed as he bent down so Bella could climb on his back. She was looking very pale and hadn't said a word. "We are going to meet our family at the clearing. The Volturi will be here soon. Denae's brother…"

"Chase," I interrupted. "His name is Chase."

Edward sighed as I felt Jacob tense next to me. "Chase will cover up or disguise Denae's scent. The Volturi can't know about her, they will kill her. And they won't honor a treaty with the pack." He paused. "I can tell you're still here, Chase." His voice was a little louder. "I can sense the difference. You must stay hidden when the Volturi arrive. They are here to take care of the newborns. They'll kill anyone involved." His eyes met mine. "Denae, Carlisle will come as soon as he is able to check over you."

I nodded. "Thanks Edward," And thanks for looking out for my brother. I added in my head. I know that he and I are both a liability to your family.

Edward just shook his head and frowned. And then he and Bella took off through the woods with Jasper and Emmett close behind.

Jacob helped me stand. It took a moment for the scenery to stop spinning and I closed my eyes against the dizziness. "I'm so sorry, baby." Jacob said softly. "I'm so sorry." He slowly picked me up and we left the campsite.

The walk through the woods was quiet. Jacob's feet didn't make a sound and the footsteps of the pack members escorting us were silent as well.

I used that time to try to focus my thoughts and block the pounding in my head. I went over the major events of the day.

First, Victoria was dead. I didn't really need to expand on that point.

Secondly, my brother was _alive_. Well, maybe alive wasn't an appropriate word considering vampires are considered 'undead'.

Oh, God. My over-protective older brother and my over-protective serious boyfriend were bound to not get along already. Throw in the fact that they were mortal enemies and I knew convincing them to get along was going to be very, very hard.

"Look, Denae," Jacob's voice cut off my thoughts. "I know you are thinking that I'm totally freaking out about your brother because he's a vampire. And you know, maybe I am. But I just need a little time to process everything. I mean, this really threw me for a loop, okay? And, it's just natural not to trust bloodsuckers. You can ask any of the guys. Working with the Cullens was a huge strain for all of us and they don't drink human blood. I saw your brother's eyes. He does. And it scares me that something could happen to you because he lost control." His eyes finally met mine and I could see the stress, worry, and exhaustion behind them.

"I know," I sighed. "And...and you're right. It is just hard for me to think that my brother could be…could be," I stumbled over the word. "A v-vampire. A killer. That's not who he was. That's not who he is." I looked up at him. "I'm just asking you to give him a chance."

Jacob sighed. "Okay," He shook his head. "This is really weird."

"I know, It hasn't really sunk in yet,"

When we finally arrived at my house the rest of the pack was waiting. The four escorting us phased back and entered the house behind us.

The door hadn't even shut behind us when Paul had started talking. "What a bizarre twist in events,"

I groaned. "Paul, not now. My head hurts."

"Yeah, Paul, shut up." Leah growled. I gave her a small smile and she just nodded back at me.

"Denae needs to rest until Cullen gets here," Sam said and then he turned to Jacob. "Jake, call your dad. He's worried sick. The rest of you go home to your families."

Everyone nodded and headed towards the door.

"Hey, guys," I said suddenly and everyone turned towards me. "Thanks…thanks for being there for me today. You guys are the best family a girl could ask for."

Grins broke out on everyone's faces, even Leah's, as a chorus of goodbyes rang out and everyone left.

* * *

Jacob sat next to me on the love seat in my living room tense, alert, and looking for any hint of danger. His warm hand rested on my knee and he was leaned forward slightly, as if he was ready to throw himself in front of me at any moment, which I knew was exactly what he was ready to do. He kept his hateful glare across the room at the source for his unease. Chase.

Chase had his legs extended out in front of him with his feet crossed at the ankles. His arm was draped over the back of the couch and he had a lazy smile on his face. I was certain that I was the only person who could tell how edgy he really was. His eyes were constantly scanning the room and his hands were digging into the couch. Every now and then his nostrils would flare just slightly, which is something he did when he was human and stressed out. But he was doing a good job pretending he was nonchalant.

Carlisle sat on the other end of the couch. He looked calm and in control, as always. He had his legs crossed and his hands in his lap in a very relaxed manner.

I, on the other hand, was a complete mess of emotions. I was a little scared. After all, my brother was looking at me with bright red eyes and I knew in an instant he could kill me. But I was also overjoyed. Chase and I shared a deep emotional bond and it was really nice to see him sitting in front of me and her him calling me 'Dee' again.

"Why don't you tell your sister and Jacob your story, Chase?" Carlisle suggested. He and Chase had a long talk on the way over to my house and Chase told Carlisle everything. Now, it was time for me to find out what had happened.

Chase nodded and then leaned forward so his elbows were resting on his knees. "Alright, but there are a few things I need to say first," his eyes met Jacob's. "First of all, since I've been changed I have never once thought about hurting my sister. She was the reason I made all of the decisions I did. I was completely focused on keeping her safe. That's not changing now. It's my job to protect her and I will, no matter what."

Jacob opened his mouth to reply but I squeezed his hand and shot him a pleading look. He just sighed and nodded.

"Okay, well. It really all began with that stupid, disgusting, piece of trash, Grant." Chase said as a look of disgust crossed his face. My heart fluttered a little and I swallowed hard at the sound of Grant's name, but I kept my composure. "Grant worked for vampires." Chase explained. "Vampires would pay him a lot of money for information, or to jobs that they didn't want to do because it would be too conspicuous. He was a human, so he was easily manipulated and easy to kill if anything went wrong."

I had suspected as much. I didn't realize how deep he was into it though.

"I've heard of this happening before," Carlisle spoke up. "Usually the Volturi put a stop to it, though."

"That's what happened to Grant," Chase said with a nod. "They got wind of what he was doing and took care of him. Although, I wish I would have known because I would have beat them to it."

I looked at my hands. "You knew what happened?" I asked, softly.

Chase sighed. "Not until after Victoria attacked you in the cemetery. But, I'm getting a head of myself." He shook his head. "Victoria hired Grant to find out information about the Cullen coven. In his findings, Grant heard about Jasper Whitlock and his experience in the newborn wars. I don't know where he got his information but this gave her the idea for her army. For payment for his services, Grant wanted Victoria to kill me so he could get to Denae.

"Grant had his sights set on Denae for a while before anything happened, and he apparently wasn't accustomed to being told no which Denae did quite frequently." Chase gave me a half smile. "So, Victoria agreed to do it. But what Grant didn't know is that she was ready to start her army so she changed me instead. She figured that it would give her some leverage over Grant if she needed anything else."

I nodded, that made sense. I hated to admit it, but it did.

"I don't want to go into details about what it was like," he said quietly. "But it was painful and it was scary." He shook his head and I could still see a faint trance of pain in his eyes. "But when I finished the change, the first thing I thought of was you, Dee." He gave me a grim smile. "I thought I had been given a second chance to keep you safe. But I was so thirsty. I knew I had to do it from afar, because I wasn't sure I could control myself."

I realized I was crying when Jacob quickly wiped the tears off of my cheeks. He seemed to have relaxed a little as he wrapped an arm around me.

"Shortly after I was changed was when I found out about my ability. It happened on accident at first, but it wasn't long before I could turn it on and off. You see, I don't really turn invisible as some people may think." He shot Jacob a look. "I simply disguise myself. I change the way I appear and smell and sound."

"Like you do when you are acting," I spoke up finally. "You become someone else."

He grinned. "Exactly. It's hard to explain, but I kind of use the same thought process to hide myself now as I did when I would get into character." He shrugged. "Anyways, this gave Victoria the brilliant idea to start changing humans who had the potential to have an ability. This seemed like a great theory on paper, but she had a hard time picking the right humans. We ended up with only three of us having any sort of ability. There was me, and then there was Hank who could sense changes in the weather, and then there was Kayla who could manipulate electronics just by touching them." He gave a short laugh. "Hank and Kayla's gifts were useful, but just not for Victoria's purposes.

"So, Victoria decided that she wanted to turn you, Dee. She knew I had a useful ability and she thought you would, too. I went along with it only so I could get her to tell me her plans. I-I acted like I blamed you but you have to know that I never did." He gave me a pleading look.

"I know you didn't," I said and I reached across the coffee table and put a hand on his. He stiffened a little but smiled. "I blame myself, though."

"You can't!" Chase said sternly. "This wasn't your fault. It was Grant's fault. That is who I blame for all of this. And he hurt you, Dee. He took advantage of the fact that you were depressed and lonely and he tricked you and then he hurt you. I'll never forgive myself for not being there to protect you from him."

He took a shaky breath and then continued. "I didn't know he was doing that to you. I would have killed him if I did. But I just stayed as far away from you as possible because I didn't trust myself. I didn't want to take the chance of losing control and hurting you. So, I stayed away and I did what I could to prevent Victoria from changing you. That night at the cemetery I was almost too late. I had called police officers with a fake story about someone defacing gravestones to show up at the same time. I know Victoria wouldn't want to draw attention to herself and wouldn't take the risk of changing you if humans were around so I set it up so it would be impossible. But then you were bleeding and the smell was too much for Kayla and she bit you."

He looked at Carlisle. "At that point I had already learned a lot about the Cullens and had decided to practice their lifestyle as much as I could. I knew that my eyes would stay red, so Victoria wouldn't know what I was doing. I lived mainly off of animal blood; even though I did have a few slip ups every now and then. Victoria had gone back and sucked the venom out of you after you were bitten because she wouldn't have been able to move you without causing a commotion and the humans were already at the cemetery. Then, she left to deal with Kayla. She didn't know I had been there the whole time.

"That was the first time I was near you and I saw all the old bruises and injuries and I knew something wasn't right. I knew I couldn't stay away and keep you safe anymore. I needed you to be near me so I told you to go to Forks and that you'd find safety there and that I loved you. You were so out of it, I wasn't sure that you'd hear me."

_Go to Forks. Safety. Love._ "That's why I came!" I said suddenly. "I-I had those words stuck in my head when I woke up. It was on repeat over and over!"

Chase smiled. "I know, it worked!"

Jacob interrupted. "Not that I'm not very happy she did but wasn't having her go to Forks, where Victoria was headed, more dangerous?"

Chase actually politely nodded and acknowledged Jacob's question. "In a way yes, but I knew Victoria was planning on using my ability to hide from Alice's visions. I would be the one scoping out Forks and the Cullen family. She didn't plan on coming to Forks at all. I knew it was the only way I could keep an eye on her. I also had planned on finding a way to approach the Cullen family. I was going to tell them Victoria's plans and ask that they look out for Denae. But, before I had the chance to, I had found that Denae was already under their protection."

Carlisle smiled. "I'm glad to hear you say that, Chase. I understand it would have been dangerous if Victoria found out you had any contact at all with us."

Chase nodded. "She'd kill me in an instant without asking any questions." He shook his head. "Victoria was outraged when she found out you left Denton. She asked around about you and someone told her you had headed up north. It wasn't long before she found out that you were in Forks, too. She thought it was fate and I had to pretend that I agreed.

"She allowed me to come down to Forks from Seattle a lot. I told any other vampire that came with me to stay away from you. They thought it was because I wanted to kill you myself and I let them think that to keep you safe. I was the main person who came to Forks, though. The others, like Riley, focused more on building the army in Seattle."

I realized that all the 'false alarms' and feelings of something being wrong was really just Chase checking up on me. It all was making sense now.

Chase turned to Jacob. "I have to apologize, Jacob, for attacking you the other day. I had smelt a strange scent around Denae's house and I had seen you, in your human form, around here. I was worried about a human man being anywhere near Dee after Victoria had told me what Grant did to her, but I promised myself not to harm any humans, so I left you alone until you messed up. However, I didn't know you were a wolf until that day. I knew they were down here and I had seen them but I hadn't put it together that you were one until I saw you transform from wolf back to human. I-I lost control that day. I didn't know to trust you and it drove me crazy that I could smell her all over you."

Jacob sighed. "It's alright, man. I understand. You were just looking out for your sister. I'm glad, actually. You've kept her safe."

"And so have you," Chase responded. "Which is what made my next decision very easy." He paused and looked at Carlisle. "Dr. Cullen, uh, I mean Carlisle and I, were talking and we've decided that I should go to Alaska."

My eyes almost bugged out of my head. "What? No! You can't leave; I've just found you, Chase!"

Chase's shoulders slumped a little. "I know, I know. But Carlisle said he knows a coven up there that have the same lifestyle as the Cullens do. They are very integrated into the human world, but it is more remote up there than it is even in Forks. That's what I need right now… to build my control. I've slipped up, recently even. The color of my eyes should tell you that. I can't even trust myself completely around you. If I go up there until I feel more comfortable, then I can be in your life later."

I squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them again. It was stupid of me, really, to think that Chase could just waltz back in to my human life as a vampire and everything would be like it was before. But I couldn't help but be a little disappointed. "Okay," I finally whispered.

Chase smiled softly at me. "Look, I'm satisfied you have the protection you need," his eyes darted to Jacob. "As much as I hate to admit it, I can see how much Jacob cares about you, and Carlisle explained the imprinting process to me. Although, if he ever slips up or hurts you…" Chase raised an eyebrow at Jacob who frowned.

"I won't,"

"If he does, I won't have a problem with ripping his throat out," Chase finished.

"You won't have to worry about it. I'd rip my own throat out if I ever did anything to hurt her. She's safe with me." Jacob said solemnly.

Chase nodded and stood. "I'm leaving now, then."

"Now?" I asked, surprised at the rush. "Why now?"

"I can't take the chance of the Volturi snooping around anymore. It's safer that I leave as soon as possible. Plus, I'm ready to get started on really changing my life. The sooner I go, the sooner I can come back. I'll call you all the time and I'll be back as soon as I have better control."

"I think that will be very soon," Carlisle said with a smile as he stood with Chase. "You have done outstanding this evening. I'd like you to know that when you feel you are ready, you are welcome to join my family and I. I discussed it with the rest of my family before our talk, and they agreed."

Chase beamed. "T-That is wonderful. Thank you, Carlisle."

For the thousandth time that day I started crying. "Can I hug you goodbye, Chase?" I asked as I sniffed.

"Of course, come here."

"I love you, Chase."

"I love you too, Dee."


	32. Epilogue: Finally

A/N: Okay, so I decided to make this the epilogue. It is also from Jacob's POV. Hopefully you like it! Ah! I can't believe it's done! :) It was such a blast and I want to thank ALL of my readers and reviewers! You guys are the best and have made this such a great experience. PLEASE if you've read this story LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! This is the first time I've written a story, so I'd love to hear how you all thought I did.

I've also included a _**TEASER**_ for the sequel which is tentatively titled: Sweet Sacrifice. Hopefully you will read it and like it. If you do PUT ME ON AUTHOR ALERT so you can be notified when the first chapter comes out. It will probably only take me about a week or so, just like a normal update. I hope you all will read that, too.

Thanks again, you all are the best!

* * *

**THE CURE**

**Epilogue-Jacob POV**

**_Finally-Fergie_**

_I remember the beginning you already knew  
I acted like a fool  
Just trying to be cool  
Fronting like it didn't matter  
I just ran away  
And on another phase  
Was lost in my own space  
Found what its like to hurt selfishly  
Scared to give of me  
Afraid to just believe  
I was in a jealous, insecure, pathetic place  
Stumbled through the mess that I have made_

Finally got out of my own way  
I've Finally started living for today  
I finally know that I needed to grow  
And finally my mate has met my soul

Finally  
Now my destiny can begin  
Though we will have a different set  
Something strange and new is happening  
Finally  
Now my life doesn't seem so bad  
It's the best that I've ever had  
Gave my love to him Finally_  
_**_  
_**

Her heartbeat was a relaxing cadence in the quiet room. I found myself absolutely enthralled by the rhythm of her heart and her breathing as she lay in the bed next to me. Throw in how she looked with the morning sunlight shining in through the window and illuminating her glossy dark black hair and highlighting her smooth, perfect skin and I was completely breathless.

I was the luckiest man alive.

Denae was absolutely my perfect match. Everything about her captivated me and at the same time made me a better person. I was so angry and hateful before she came into my life. I was hopeless and heartbroken. And she changed that with one spectacular smile.

Even if I didn't imprint, I would have noticed her. She was stunning. She had a round, cheerful face and a small delicate nose. Her lips were heaven; so soft and curved just perfectly. Her eyes are what always got me. They are so big and such a shocking blue color that they drew you in and kept you there. They contrasted with her dark brown hair, which fell to the middle of her back and was always very soft. She was short and petite but curvy in all the right places. I often found myself staring at her curves at inappropriate times. My imprint was gorgeous, I couldn't help it.

I was amazed when I looked back at what we had been through. I had almost ruined everything from the very beginning by ignoring her. Part of me still loved Bella then. I had spent so much time loving and obsessing over Bella that it took some time to change. But that change began as soon as I looked into Denae's clear blue eyes.

I still felt a pang of guilt when I thought about how rude I had been to her the first two times I saw her. I ran off the first time like an idiot. I couldn't help it. I first felt just love and adoration for her but that soon changed to shock, and then outrage at myself for betraying Bella. The emotions were too much and I knew I was going to phase. I'm surprised I kept it in long enough to run to the woods.

The next day she had gotten up early to run, and I could help but follow her through the woods as I watched her jog. I wanted to make sure she was protected. I had to be sure that nothing happened to her. It was hard at first finding a balance. I wanted to be around her all the time. I had to learn to live with that feeling during the time we were apart. I hated being so obsessed with her, a lot like she hated the involuntary reactions she had to me when she found out about imprinting. So, when I phased back and acted like I was checking the mail when she ran back I couldn't help but get mad as I felt the compulsion to go to her.

Then she made me those disgusting cookies. I will never admit that they were horrible, but they were. That's when I got to know Denae and I realized how perfect she really was for me. She was kind, compassionate, smart, outgoing, and funny. After that first day I could see my self loving her. Little by little the thoughts of Bella began to fade and little by little they were replaced with Denae.

Then, I kissed her and everything was going perfect. Until that stupid redhead bloodsucker came around and ruined it. She threatened me with Denae and I instantly knew that I had to protect Deane from getting involved in anything supernatural. And that meant me. So, I stayed away. It almost killed me and I know it hurt her. I could feel her hurt and rejection. But then one night I felt something more.

I am always thinking about her. But that night that creep attacked her, something else happened. I was patrolling and the next thing I knew, I just had to get to her. I couldn't stop myself. My body was reacting and I didn't resist it for long. I knew something was wrong. I can't even explain how I felt when I finally found her and that disgusting excuse for a human being had his hands on her. I'm still surprised that I didn't kill him.

Then, the whole Bella and Edward incident happened and both of our secrets were exposed. A tiny part of me was glad she knew about vampires and was able to take the whole werewolf thing so well. But, I absolutely hate that she went through so much. She was so emotionally scarred and I couldn't believe that she had such an awful past. I knew then I had to do whatever it took to make sure she was happy and safe for the rest of her life.

However, I was finding it was a lot harder to keep her safe than I had originally thought. My heart still constricts when I think the image of her crying in pain as Victoria threw her around like a rag doll. She had this bizarre tendency to get herself in very dangerous situations. She was a lot like Bella in that manner.

I love that she is friends with Bella, but I'm still not thrilled about her friendship with the Cullens. She literally is able to make friends with anyone, even bloodsucking leeches. They think she is great. They have taken her shopping, let her drive their expensive cars, and give her clothes. I only let it happen because it is impossible to tell Deane what to do. I also know that when her brother gets back, he'll probably become a Cullen and there is no way I will be able to keep her away from Chase.

Chase was another pain in my neck. But, deep down I was glad that he was around, even though I wish he was human. I also respect him. He cares for Denae and will do whatever it takes to keep her safe which makes him okay in my book.

And for now, she was safe. A few days before I wasn't sure that we would ever get to this point. I was so worried that something would happen. There was still so much that I wanted to experience with her and I couldn't stand the thought of anything happening to her. I wanted her to know exactly what she meant to me. So, the night before the battle we made love. And it was perfect. There are no words to explain what I felt that night.

I was so happy that everything had finally settled down. Well, almost. I frowned thinking about my conversation with Denae earlier in the week.

"Bella is getting married to that leech!" I said loudly as I entered Denae's kitchen. I surprised her and she jumped and dropped her apple.

"Oh, God, Jacob, you scared me half to death!"

"And she said you're okay with it!" I added on. Bella had just told me that she had accepted Edward's proposal.

She placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart and took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm okay with it. I'm guessing you're not." She said as her heartbeat began to slow and she shook her head. She took a big bite out of her apple.

"No, of course I'm not!" I wasn't. If she married the leech then she'd want to become one and I didn't want my best friend to be a bloodsucker.

"Edward and Bella are in love," Denae said matter-of-factly. "You know it, I know you do."

"He's a vampire. It's wrong."

"And you're a werewolf," She countered quickly.

"I don't kill people,"

"Neither does Edward," she was sticking her chin out which meant I was in for a fight.

I gritted my teeth. "But he could very easily."

"And so could you," She paused. When I didn't respond she took a deep breath. "Do I wish that Edward was human? Yes. Of course I do. But he isn't."

I sat down and put my head in my hands. "My best friend is going to become the one thing I'm designed to kill. Do you understand that?"

She sat down next to me and gently put her hand on my arm. "Of course I do. Bella is my friend too. I'll probably never see her again after she is changed, or at least not for a very long time. You know how much I hated vampires before. I was absolutely terrified of them. But I guess my opinion on vampires has changed a little bit considering my brother is one." She grimaced.

I sighed. I was starting to see her side of the argument which meant she was going to win. I loved watching Denae work her magic on other people but hated how she could always find a way to make me change my mind.

I had told Denae that I needed some time to think about everything so I left and ran as a wolf for a few hours. Since the whole newborn war thing ended it was quiet inside my mind. Only Sam and Embry were on patrol and they were smart enough to try to keep their thoughts to themselves. Although, I did hear Embry think: Damn, she's good. She almost has me convinced.

I heard her heartbeat pick up slightly and her breathing increase just a little as she began to wake up. I shook the thoughts out of my mind. Her eyes fluttered open and stared up at the ceiling for just a moment. Then they moved and connected with mine and she gave me one of those smiles.

"Merry Christmas," I said with a slight grin. It was seven am on Christmas morning.

Her smile widened. "Merry Christmas, Jacob." She responded. She sounded and looked so cute when she first woke up. Her voice was always deep with sleep and her hair was always a mess. Plus, she was extra cuddly which I was always okay with. She rolled over on her side and rested her head on my chest with a sigh.

"I'm so content right now," she said softly as she traced patterns on my bare chest.

My fingers instantly went to her hair. I gently ran my hands through the silky strands. "Content?" I said in mock surprise. "You're just content? It seems like I'm not doing my job right, then."

She laughed quietly and then looked up at me with sleepy eyes. "I meant that I could stay here, like this seriously forever. I'm not worried or stressed or anything. Everything is just perfect, finally."

She said the word finally like it was a big sigh of relief. And I guess it was. Finally fit many things in mine and Denae's relationship. We finally had our soulmate, the person who we were destined for. We finally had someone heal the wounds from our pasts. We finally had someone to understand us.

"Finally," I echoed in the same tone.

As if she could hear my internal dialogue she added. "And we finally have some alone time. I thought everyone would never leave last night!"

I chuckled. "I know. The guys and Leah loved the clothes by the way."

"Good," she sounded proud.

I was proud of her. She insisted on having a 'pack Christmas' at her house. She cooked and baked all day (with Emily's help) and also got everyone presents. She got everyone clothes, since we tend to go through ours quickly or outgrew everything. The guys loved it.

She didn't get Sam clothes, though. She claimed that he seemed to keep better track of his wardrobe. Instead she got him a book that was meant for leaders. It was supposed to be inspirational or something. He loved it.

She also got Kim a gift card for her and Jared to go to Bella Italia, where I took her for our date. She picked out a very cute princess outfit for Claire. And she got Emily some really nice cookware.

I was also impressed that she took extra time to pick out stuff for Leah. Generally, Leah wore cut offs and tank tops that weren't very girly. Denae got her more of that, but also got her some really nice shirts, jeans, and skirts…girl things.

"This is a lot like the stuff I used to wear," I had overheard Leah whispering to Denae. "Thank you so much."

Denae told me that she thought that her and Leah would be good friends. I wasn't sure how I felt about it, but I kept my mouth shut.

Yes, she was perfect and she was all mine. I felt her light kisses on my chest and I looked down. She gave me a playful smirk. "I wonder what Santa brought me this year?"

I grinned. She hated surprises. That is why the moment she got her Christmas tree up I insisted on putting my present to her underneath it. It was in a big box. Emily helped me wrap it and put a big bow on it. She had frowned and went into her room and came out with a small box which she sat next to the huge one. It had my name on it.

"What is it?" she had asked me, pointing to the box.

I just shrugged. "I dunno."

This caused her to scowl. "Okay, give me a hint,"

I laughed. "Not happening. Come on, I'll keep your mind off of it." and then I had dragged her back to her bedroom and kept her busy for quite a while.

It had been driving her crazy for the past few days so I figured it was okay to let her open it. "I guess you can open it now," I told her with an over dramatic sight.

She sat up and grinned excitedly, fully awake now. "Okay!"

"I'll go get it," I rolled my eyes playfully and walked into the living room. I picked through the presents she had for my father, Rachel, and Rebecca. We were going over to my house in the morning to celebrate Christmas with them. Denae was very nervous about it. It was the first time she was meeting Rachel and Rebecca. I told her she had nothing to worry about but that didn't seem to help.

I shook my head at the presents for the Cullens. She had insisted on getting them and Bella gifts; even though I told her they were rich enough to afford anything they could ever want. But, of course, she ignored me. She was excited that Alice wouldn't be able to see what she got her and would actually have a surprise, for once.

"Grab yours too!" I heard her call from her bedroom. I grabbed the small box and headed back to her room.

She was sitting crossed legged on the bed, grinning from ear to ear. I sat the big box in front of her and then sat down with my little box. "Let's open them at the same time," I suggested.

"Okay," she agreed and we both tore into our boxes.

"No way!" I said.

At the same time she squealed "Oh my gosh, Jacob!"

I looked up and saw her excited face as she held up the large package. "An electric blanket?" she said with a big smile.

I returned her smile. "Yeah, you know for the nights I'm gone."

Her grin grew. "That is the sweetest thing in the whole world!"

"No, this is!" I said holding up the gift card. It was $100 to a shop in town that sold car parts. I had been saving up for a part I needed for a motorcycle and she knew it. "One hundred dollars…that's too much, Denae."

"Nope, it's not." She leaned in and kissed me quickly. "I wanted to get you something you'd actually use."

I shook my head. "You're wonderful. It's perfect." It really was.

"No, this is perfect! I'm going to be so warm!" she said happily.

"There's one more thing," I said nervously. I got up off of the bed and went into her closet. "I hid it in here this morning." I said from inside. I pulled the small box out from under the pile of bed sheets. I opened it up, feeling the velvet under my fingers to see the piece of jewelry inside. I had spent a long time picking it out for her.

I turned around and held it out for her with a timid smile on my face. I wasn't sure how she'd react.

"Oh my, God." She whispered. One hand went to her mouth as she looked at the contents of the jewelry box. "It is beautiful."

"Do you like it?" I asked, still hesitant. I gently pulled the necklace out of the box.

"I love it," she said and her eyes met mine. "It's perfect."

"I'll put it on you," I said, feeling relieved.

I moved her hair out of the way and gently clasped the delicate necklace. It was a silver chain and on the end there was a little outline of a wolf. It was simple and small, but I hoped she would like it.

"It's not too corny?" I said sheepishly as she turned around. I thought it looked great on her, but I wasn't sure if she'd think it was stupid.

"It is amazing. Thank you so much, Jacob. I'll never take it off."

I was completely happy in that moment. I knew that as long as Denae Walters was by my side, I'd be just fine.

* * *

_**Sweet Sacrifice**_** teaser: Denae POV**

Jacob Black was literally the reason I was alive. He had saved my life physically, emotionally, spiritually and in every other way possible. My mind instantly filled with images of him.

Jacob on the first day that I met him, staring down at me with a bewildered face. His dark brown eyes looked into my own and I swear he saw my soul. That connection was created and it could never be severed. It made goosebumps break out on my arm just thinking about it.

Then my mind moved to Jacob the first day we talked. I pictured him willingly eating disgusting cookies because he thought it'd make me happy.

Then I pictured Jacob on the day he listened to me tell him about my family. His eyes were filled with shared pain mixed with what I didn't realize at the time was love.

The image of Jacob right after our first kiss was next. He was soaking wet as rain fell down on us and he looked up at me like I was all he could see.

My heart constricted as I thought of the way Jacob looked the night we first made love. He was asleep next to me and he looked absolutely perfect and so peaceful.

Then I thought about Jacob on Christmas day, opening the gift I got him and looking at me with the excited face that made him seem more his age. I thought about his nervous smile as he gave me the beautiful necklace I was wearing. My hand instantly began to play with the little wolf on the end.

Then, one of my favorite images: Jacob with wide eyes and an open mouth as I came around the corner into my living room on his prom night. He looked so handsome in his tuxedo and I loved the way he was staring at me. "Magnificent," he had whispered when I had finally reached him.

And finally, I pictured Jacob just a few hours ago, standing in my kitchen wearing nothing but a flowered apron and a goofy smile as he made breakfast. I had laughed out loud when I saw him. But now thinking about it made me want to cry.

These images made what I had to do both harder and easier at the same time. I'd do anything to keep him safe. I told myself that a hundred times already. But my heart was screaming at me to stop.

My hand was shaking as I fumbled with the pencil. I finally picked it up and started to lower it to the paper. Tear drops hit the page and my vision blurred the lines.

"This is heartbreaking, really," the cold voice said from in front of me, causing my head to snap up abruptly. "But we really are running out of time. Aro is expecting us."

I swallowed hard and began to write.

_**Dear Jacob,**_

_**I am so sorry…**_


End file.
